


Under Pack Protection

by breathingisdullanyway



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Girl!Stiles, Magic!Stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-26
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 14:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 41,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1019542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breathingisdullanyway/pseuds/breathingisdullanyway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The bass is near deafening, causing tremors to be felt in the bar top from it. Derek really wishes this club wasn’t the only place in a five-mile radius that stocked alcohol with wolfsbane. You’d think that it being supposedly the place for supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills, they’d cater to the sensitive ears of werewolves and keep the volume at a level that didn’t threaten to send drinks toppling off tables. Derek finishes off his beer and moves to get up when he feels it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so I guess we'll see how it all goes. All the awards go to Kapisj for being my beta and for being patient enough to go through and fix my numerous grammatical errors.

The bass is near deafening, causing tremors to be felt in the bar top from it. Derek really wishes this club wasn’t the only place in a five-mile radius that stocked alcohol with wolfsbane. You’d think that it being supposedly _the_ place for supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills, they’d cater to the sensitive ears of werewolves and keep the volume at a level that didn’t threaten to send drinks toppling off tables. Derek finishes off his beer and moves to get up when he feels it.

For about a month Derek’s felt off - like something was there - barely there, like a tickle at the back of his mind. It’s back, but this time stronger and he can actually feel eyes boring into his head.

He quickly makes a decision as he pushes through the moving bodies on the dance floor, gyrating to the music, and heads to the bathroom. He rounds a corner and right as the restroom door comes into view he swiftly spins around, catching the person who was following him by the wrist as they collide with his chest.

It’s… a girl?

She looks like she’s in her early twenties with long brown hair, and the closer he looks he can see moles dotting up the side of her face and-… And she was just following him, now isn’t the time to admire her features. He looks from the moles on her face to her eyes that, okay look slightly panicked, and now that he listens he can hear her heartbeat, which sounds elevated, and that combined with the look of growing urgency on her face is enough to snap him out of whatever revere he had started to enter.

“Why were you following me?” He growls in her face.

She looks unperturbed by his growling, and acts like she hasn’t even heard his question.” Listen, you need to leave _now_. Trust me, I’ll explain later but-“ Derek is pushing her away, releasing the hold he had on her and effectively cutting her off. He doesn’t feel like dealing with this. He doubts that whatever she says has any merit and she’s probably high, he fleetingly thinks.

Derek’s met his fair share of crazies in these clubs; they think they’re predicting the future or sent on some special mission. Derek snorts. _Yeah, no thanks,_ he doesn’t feel like riding the crazy train today. He pushes back into the thrum of bodies on the floor.

Derek’s made it about ten steps away from the girl when a man suddenly jumps on him, and is shoving a syringe into his neck, pushing the plunger down filling his veins with a liquid that feels like ice to his system.

“Damn it!” the girl cusses from behind him, and suddenly the man holding him is gone. Tackled off by the girl who is still cursing but- at him now?

“I fucking told you! I did! I warned you-you–you _asshole_!”

She quickly incapacitates the man who had jumped him, and she’s whipping a staff out from seemingly nowhere. Then, in a graceful movement he didn’t think her body could possess, she draws a circle around him on the ground. The people around them on the floor backs away, no one trying to assist them.

He takes a second to look at the ground around him, and wonder what exactly that was supposed to be before another man is grabbing the girl from behind “Yeah, hands off, fuck you very much” she delivers a sharp blow to his nose with her elbow.

Derek, suddenly remembering the exact situation he’s in, slashes his claws across his thigh to kick-start his healing. It won’t stop whatever they’ve injected him with, but at least it will slow down it taking effect, no matter how briefly.

Derek looks around the club, and while the lights are still flashing, and the bass of the music still shaking tables, the club itself is in the process of being deserted. Figures, in the supernatural community fight breaks out and people scatter.

There appear to be roughly, what- twenty men in total heading for them, pushing through people trying to quickly leave. His legs are starting to feel weak, and he falls, right as the two men, who had been previously running at him, go flying backwards from a blindingly white light that flares from the circle drawn around him.

“ _Oh_ ” Derek says from his place on the ground where things are starting to feel fuzzy. He briefly thinks he should get up and help, but when he tries to push himself up with his arms he just collapses back onto the ground that, regrettably, reeks of various bodily fluids.

The girl is continuing to fight off his attackers not 15 feet away, hair flying everywhere as she delivers kicks and punches on them. She isn’t fighting all of them, though. Some men are still flinging themselves at the barrier separating them from Derek. The barrier itself apparently isn’t that strong of a deterrent. He watches as they start throwing things at it, which would actually be entertaining in any other scenario, Derek thinks as the chair someone threw flies off the barrier, and takes out two guys who had been prepared to try to throw a _table_ trying to get to him.

  He looks back to the fight happening beside him where the girl is single handedly taking on the growing number of attackers, who are slowly giving up on the barrier; he can see her starting to lose steam. There are too many men against them, well her, and Derek’s vision is getting dark around the edges as he digs his nails deeper into his legs.

Just as Derek sees them starting to overwhelm his mystery savior, her eyes start to fog over white. The sight itself is one Derek has never seen, and he´s not sure it’s not drug induced. He tightens his grip on his thigh even more; he can feel his blood warm between his fingers. When he looks back up, her eyes are still white, except now her body is starting to rise into the air.

This seems to have their attackers a little lost for words too, because they’ve all stopped to watch her body as it rises. There’s a moment of complete stillness, everyone is watching her just floating ten feet up in the air, eyes now closed almost peacefully. That moment is shattered the second her eyes burst open, and her body goes hurtling back to earth where she lands, slamming her staff into the ground. A pulse of force flies out from her in all directions, sending everything hurtling backwards, and Derek’s thankful for his barrier that’s still holding up keeping the flying debris from hitting him.

Suddenly, she seems to be renewed with new energy. The attackers can’t even touch her: she simply throws her hand out and they go flying as they’re hit with her waves of force.

She’s raising her hand in the air, and at first Derek isn’t sure why all the men freeze, eyes widening, but then he gets it as he looks over to the bar and sees all the bottles of liquor levitating. After a slight pause she throws her arm forward, and the bottles go hurtling around her at the attackers imbedding glass in them and soaking them with alcohol.

She clears her throat and raises her other hand, where now a ball of fire resides. “Leave! Tell whoever hired you that _he_ -“she points to Derek “-is under my protection. You have ten seconds to clear the building before I think of a few good uses for this.” The flame grows in her hand and the men go scattering.

Derek can’t feel where his claws are dug into his leg anymore. He doesn’t think he feels anything; everything seems light, like he isn’t attached to his body.

His head lolls to the side and he watches as his savior’s eyes go back to normal, after the last man exits. Then she just collapses to the ground.

The last thing Derek registers before everything goes dark, is the blood bleeding through the fabric of her shirt and the way she clutches the phone like a lifeline as she drags herself toward him.

The girl gets one word into the phone before she joins Derek in unconsciousness “Isaac-“.


	2. Chapter 2

Derek wakes up disoriented. The first thing he notices is the awful taste in his mouth and that his entire body feels like it’s been hit by a truck. Judging by the smells in the room, he isn’t at home. He risks cracking one eye open and – nope, definitely not his home. He looks around the room, the walls are a light blue and it’s sparsely decorated. He can only detect the faintest traces of other people’s scents.

The door on the other side of the room starts to open and Derek whips his head towards it. A head of curly blonde hair peeks around the door. “You’re up!” He beams like Derek has done him a personal favor.

Derek analyzes this new addition to the room for a moment. He’s tall with high cheekbones; he looks a little like a puppy, actually, with his bright eyes and smile. He doesn’t seem very threatening, and despite the fact that Derek doesn’t know how he got here, or what’s going on, he feels safe with him. Deeming it safe to talk, he clears his throat. “What’s going on? Where am I?” The blonde gives him a small smile and sits down in a chair by the bed.

“I’m Isaac” Derek just stares, that’s not what he asked. Isaac just continues to smile at Derek and after a beat; Derek introduces himself too.

“I‘m Derek,” he grumbles.

Isaac gives a sly smirk. “I know.” And isn’t that cryptic and unhelpful.

Derek frowns at him and levels him with a severely displeased face. Several minutes passes in silence and Isaac just seems entertained by the whole thing. Derek takes back what he said about Isaac; he isn’t a puppy. He can’t be human. The only people who don’t react in abject terror when he glares at them are related to him, and the only people who look so openly pleased by it, are his sisters Laura and Cora. Both of whom he’s pretty sure aren’t human either.

He expressed this multiple times as a child to his parents, whom only laughed and said that technically none of them were. Derek’s still pretty sure what they are goes beyond werewolves. He shudders as he thinks of the pranks they pulled on him growing up.

Derek focuses on Isaac again, who is still sporting a grin on his face. Derek feels like screaming, they’ve been sitting in silence for five minutes!

Isaac finally shatters the quiet by laughing and sticking his hand out for Derek to shake. “I’m sorry man, I’m just messing with you. It’s just good to finally meet you-” And Derek’s raising his eyebrows at that. Finally? What’s that supposed to mean?

Isaac continues on “I know you probably have a lot of questions and everything but I need to know first, what do you remember?” and that’s a good question. What does Derek remember?

Derek tries to think back. He decided to go to the awful club by his place because he desperately needed a drink. He ordered a beer and when he finished- shit. Derek whips his head to Isaac. “Shit” Isaac nods and says back “Shit”

Derek’s eyes get wide as he remembers. “The girl!” Images of her bleeding on the ground flash through his mind and he feels sick.

“She’s fine, don’t worry. I need you to tell me what happened, though.” Derek is shaking his head.

“Can I see her first?”

“No can do”

Derek growls frustrated. “And why not?”

Isaacs face sobers up. “She hasn’t woken up yet…”

Derek feels a stab of pain in his gut at that. “You’re her friend?” Isaac nods.

“How’d you know where we were?”

“She called me, or tried to. She didn’t get much out, just my name. I got worried and used the GPS in her phone to track her, we found you two unconscious on the floor of the club, which looked like a tornado had passed through it.”

“You’re a werewolf.” It isn’t a question. Derek can smell it on him; he can smell the scent of other werewolves on him.

“Yes.” Isaac raises an eyebrow, like he’s not sure where Derek’s going with this and speaks back slowly to him “You’re one too...”

Derek rolls his eyes at Isaac’s tone “Who’s your Alpha?”

“Stiles”

Derek can feel his eyebrows in his hairline. “What’s a Stiles?” Isaac snorts amused.

“It’s a nickname and she’s the girl from the club.”

 “She’s your Alpha? But she’s a witch not a wolf?”

“Yes? Your point is?” Derek thinks on it a moment and it hits him, a witch leading a wolf pack.

“She’s Red isn’t she? You guys are the Red pack?” Isaac seems shy suddenly.

“You’ve heard of us?” Derek balks at that because of course he has.  Everyone in the supernatural community knows about the pack that’s been undefeatable since they came together, the pack that defeated the Alpha pack, countless hunters, and various other supernatural creatures. Derek looks at him incredulously.

“Of course I have.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear about us. We only go by that title when dealing with the supernatural community. When Stiles heard people were calling us that she laughed so hard she fell out of her chair.”

“What pack name do you really go by then?”

“Stilinski.” Derek raises both eyebrows.

“Stiles Stilinski?” Isaac just grins.

“Like I said, nickname. Enough about this though, I wasn’t kidding when I said I needed you to tell me what happened.” Derek nods and opens his mouth to talk, but is cut off by his stomach protesting loudly. Derek feels his face heat a little.

“Sorry, I’m a little hungry.” And now that Derek realizes it, he’s miles past a little hungry and somewhere along the lines of ravenously hungry.

“Don’t apologize, I’m an idiot. I should have realized you’d be hungry. Come with me, I’ll fix you something.”

Derek eases himself out of the bed and he already feels ten times better being able to stretch and move his limbs. Isaac leads him out of the room and through the house. It’s decorated in warm colors that remind Derek of the house he grew up in, and he can feel himself relax more as he’s led to the kitchen.

Isaac sits him down on a stool at the island in the center of the kitchen. He fixes Derek a grilled cheese and a glass of water and plops it down in front of him. Derek wolfs it down in two bites. Isaac, who’s gone back to the stove, calls over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, more on the way, I’m putting on some soup. Try to slow down though; don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Derek sips on his water. “I’m just starving.” Isaac makes a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat. “Being out for three days will do that to you, man.” Derek sputters.

“I’m sorry, did you say three days?!” Isaac nods. “Been out like a light since we found you- which reminds me, you agreed to tell me what you remember from the club.”

Derek scrubs a hand down his face. “I went to the club for a beer, realized I was being watched and confronted them. It was Stiles, and she warned me I needed to leave, but I ignored her and then I was jumped. Whoever jumped me injected me with something, but she fought him off me and then she drew some sort of barrier around me that nothing could get through. Uh… in the end she threw the entire content of the bar at them, then threatened to set them all on fire and they left and that’s it. That’s what I remember.”

“Detailed, really, felt like I was living it.” Isaac’s voice is dripping with sarcasm, but when Derek looks at him his face isn’t mean like his tone suggested, but teasing.

“So, fire?” Isaac asks and Derek nods. “Damn, I want to be angry at her for being reckless, but that sounds awesome.” Derek hesitates a second before leaning on the island counter more towards Isaac.

“Could I see her?”

Isaac looks toward the general direction of the rooms. “I don’t know-“ “Please? I need to see is she’s ok for myself. Last time I saw her, she was bleeding on the ground.”

Derek can see Isaacs wince at that and gives him what he hopes is a pleading look. He can see the moment Isaac’s resolve crumbles and Isaac heaves a put upon sigh. “Ok, but you have to eat your soup first.” Derek isn’t going to complain, he wasn’t lying when he said he was starving.

After Derek finishes his bowl of soup, Isaac cleans up the kitchen and motions for Derek to follow him. They go back through the house and Isaac takes Derek to the very end of the hallway by his room. Isaac hesitates at the door and throws a slightly pensive look over his shoulder at Derek, then opens the door and steps in with Derek behind him.

This was apparently a mistake. As soon as Derek’s through the doorway he’s met with screaming.

The boy yelling is about his height, just a little shorter, with brown shaggy hair and dark skin. He looks livid. “What the fuck is he doing in here?!” Isaac has risen his hands in what Derek thinks is supposed to be a placating manner.

“Scott calm down man, he just wanted to see her and make sure she was ok. It’s fine, really.”

“Me? Calm down?! She’s hurt! She hasn’t woken up! It’s his fault!” The boy – Scott - is practically seething. Derek can see his chest heaving with every breath.

Derek slowly starts to back out of the room. He suddenly understands why Isaac was so hesitant to let him in. He looks at the girl on the bed in the room as he backs out. Derek’s breathe catches for a second; she’s beautiful. Derek can see the moles on her face, which he remembers from when he grabbed her in the club for following him.

Isaac notices Derek backing out and turning away from his fight with Scott reaches his arm out towards him. “Derek wait! It’s fine really!”

Derek pauses for a second, which is enough time for Scott to cross the room and wind his arm back to throw a punch at him. Derek closes his eyes and waits for the hit he knows is coming. After several seconds pass, he opens an eye.

Scott’s fist is hovering inches away from Derek’s face and Isaac and Scott are wearing matching looks of confusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Kapisj, my beta, and heroicferocity. Chapter 3 will be up next week.  
> my tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	3. Chapter 3

_What the fuck?_ Derek stares wide eyed at the fist inches from his face. Scott makes a noise of frustration and Derek looks from the hand to the man connected to it. Scott appears to be trying to close the small gap between his fist and Derek’s face. Derek can see Scott’s muscles straining from the effort, but no matter how hard he tries, his hand doesn’t move a centimeter.

Scott drops his hand, flexes it, and after taking a deep breath, winds his arm back to take another swing at Derek. Like before, Scott’s hand is stopped before connecting with Derek’s face. Scott growls deep in his throat, his eyes flashing at Derek.

Derek looks to Isaac, who is staring a hole in the ground with a pinched look on his face. After a beat, Isaac turns to Scott with a serious expression. “Try to punch Derek again.” Both Scott and Derek turn to Isaac with incredulous looks on their faces “What?!”  They say in unison. Isaac rolls his eyes and turns his back to them, looking at Stiles on the bed. “I said try to hit him.” Scott sputters.

“I can’t! You saw what happened!” Scott spins to Derek “What _did_ happen? What did you do?” Derek works his mouth open and closed a few times, not sure what to say. He didn’t do anything. Well at least he doesn’t think he did?

Isaac sighs heavily “ _He_ didn’t do anything, Scott, which is why I need you to try again.” Scott goes to protest again, but Isaac shuts him up by flashing his eyes and spitting out “Just do it, Scott!” Scott turns to Derek, sighs and shrugs. Derek shrugs back because it’s not like it could hurt at this point.

Scott tries one last time to hit Derek and as expected, nothing happens. Isaac, however, seems satisfied by the result and pulls out his phone “Deaton, come over. It’s about Stiles”

………………………………………………………..

Deaton. The name hadn’t registered with Derek when he heard Isaac say it on the phone, but now, seeing him standing in the doorway he remembers. Deaton was his family’s emissary from before the…incident. That was thirteen years ago and Deaton looks exactly the same, which is actually pretty creepy.

Isaac ushers Deaton down the hall to Stiles room. Deaton, standing by Stiles unconscious form, looks to Isaac and Scott. “So boys, why have I been called here?” His eyes flicker to Derek for a brief moment.

Isaac steps forward “Well, Derek woke up and wanted to see Stiles. I wasn’t sure if it was the best idea, because I knew Scott would be in here, and he’s been upset because she hasn’t woken up and the fact that her magic isn’t healing her and-“ Derek stops him.

“She isn’t healing?”

Scott turns to him face slightly angry again. “No, she isn’t.” Derek shifts uncomfortably under the gaze and Deaton clears his throat.

“And?” he prompts.

“Scott saw him and tried to punch him.” Deaton sends Scott a reprimanding look.

“Now Scott-“Scott shoots forward towards Deaton.

“But I didn’t even hit him!” Isaac rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, because you couldn’t” Deaton raises an eyebrow at that.

“What do you mean when you say Scott couldn’t hit him?”

“As I was saying, Scott tried to hit him _but_ he couldn’t. His fist kept stopping before it could reach Derek. I called you because I think its Stiles doing it. I mean, I’m not sure how, but it has to be a good sign, right? She’s getting better?”

“It could mean a number of things, Isaac. I won’t know anything for certain until I see how she’s doing.” Deaton, checking her injuries, lifts her shirt slightly to have access to the bandages stretching across her stomach, which had been put there three days prior by his own hands. He slowly peels the bandages away to reveal several rows of stitches. Deaton frowns at them and starts to poke at the skin around them, examining them. Apparently he presses too hard, because Stiles lets out a whimper in her unconscious state and the noise, to everyone’s surprise, including his, has Derek growling at Deaton. He snarls out “Be careful.” Deaton simply rolls his eyes and turns to his bag digging through it.

“So you say that no matter how hard you try, you can’t hit Derek?” Deaton says to Scott, who nods. Deaton, leaving Stiles side, crosses the room and stands in front of Derek, eyeing him. After a moment, Deaton nods to himself, holding a scalpel that Derek could have sworn wasn’t there before, raises his hand and quickly brings it down on Derek. His hand is stopped inches away from Derek’s chest. Deaton then removes his hand from where it was hovering, mutters “Interesting” under his breath and heads back to Stiles’ bedside, putting his scalpel back into his bag on the way.

Derek stands there, mouth open. He looks to Scott and Isaac, who are also gaping. After a minute of silence Scott yells “Dude! You can’t just try to stab people!” Deaton, without turning away from where he’s re-bandaging Stiles, says “Just testing a theory Scott.” Isaac pipes up from where he’s standing by Scott.

“Yeah, but Deaton, what if you had actually stabbed him?” Deaton, finishing his work on Stiles bandages, turns to face them and rolls his eyes. “It’s not as if he wouldn’t have healed. He’s a werewolf.” And Derek can see Isaac’s face twitch at that.

Deaton turns to Derek and reaches a hand out to him. “Derek, will you come here?” Derek hesitates a second before slowly walking to Deaton, who pulls a chair up beside Stile’s bed. Deaton gestures for him to sit, which he does cautiously. He really doesn’t want Deaton trying to stab him again on the off chance it works. Yeah, he heals; it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like hell.

After Derek is seated, Deaton turns so he can look at everyone. “I know why Stiles magic hasn’t been healing her and I know why no one can hurt Derek.” He pauses a moment and Derek feels like rolling his eyes. He remembers this about Deaton, the dramatics.

“Stiles isn’t healing because her body is focusing all its magic on one thing, keeping Derek safe. She was protecting him using magic before she passed out, correct?” They nod and he continues. “She was so focused on his safety that her magic latched on him and continued to reach out to him even after she went unconscious. Think of it like an alarm system. Stiles is the system, armed to protect Derek, but when she started to lose consciousness it set the alarm off. So her magic is reaching out to him, keeping him safe, and it will continue to do that until the alarm is turned off- which would be achieved by knowledge that Derek is truly safe and okay.” Scott speaks up.

“So once she knows he’s ok she’ll start healing?”  Deaton nods.

“How do I do that? Let her know I’m okay?” Deaton smiles

“Physical contact, holding her hand should do. I would keep the contact up for a while until you can tell she’s healing.”

Derek nods and tentatively reaches his hand out towards Stiles. She makes a pained noise and before Derek can think about it, he’s taken her hand and is syphoning her pain watching as black tendrils run up his arm. Deaton seemingly satisfied, grabs his bag and walks out of the room, though he does stop to call over his shoulder. “Boys, this could take some time, and you may want to find something to do.” Scott and Isaac follow him out, closing the door behind them and leaving Derek alone with Stiles, rubbing his thumb in comforting circles over her hand.

It isn’t long until the sound of Stiles steady heartbeat starts to make him drift off, and before he knows it, Derek’s fast asleep clutching Stiles hand in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the thanks to my beta Kapisj. Chapter 4 shall be up next Saturday.  
> my tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	4. Chapter 4

Derek wakes to a dark room and the feeling of being watched. He whips his head to the doorway where a werewolf, one that’s not Scott or Isaac, stands. Derek crouches protectively in front of Stiles and lets out a growl. The intruder’s eyes flash gold at him, and Derek’s ready to attack when he feels a weak tug at his hand. He’s so shocked that he turns his back entirely on the intruder and looks to Stiles. Her eyelids are fluttering as she slurs out “S’just Jackson.” Derek would ask who Jackson is, but Stiles has already fallen back into unconsciousness. The person from the doorway, Jackson, speaks up.

“Well, as fun as this was, dinner is ready. You need to come eat.” Derek looks to Stiles and feels torn about leaving her alone in the room. He doesn’t know if it’s such a good idea. What if she stops healing? She saved him, it’s only natural he feel worried for her, right? Maybe he should just- “Man, she’ll be fine. We can hear her heartbeat from the kitchen. We’ll know if anything happens. Now come on, before Isaac drags you out of here and force feeds you.” Derek finally nods his consent and follows Jackson out of the room to the kitchen.

When Derek gets in the kitchen he stands off to the side, not really knowing what to. He watches Jackson putting plates and glasses on the table adjacent to the kitchen while Scott and Isaac transfer the food to it. Scott, noticing his discomfort, grabs a plate off the table and hands it to him. “Look man, we’re cool. Really, I’m sorry for earlier. I was just upset, ya know? Now hurry and grab some food before Jackson eats it all.” Jackson growls from where he’s already eating at the table. “Watch it McCall.” Scott laughs, and drags Derek to the table with him.

After everyone gets settled at the table, Isaac gives Derek a kind smile and says “So you know me and you definitely met Scott, but you haven’t really been introduced properly to Jackson. He’s second in command.” Jackson smirks and gives a mock salute to Derek. Derek nods back and awkwardly clears his throat. “I’m Derek?” Jackson snorts “I know man, but thanks for the clarification.”

Jackson, Scott, and Isaac chatter throughout dinner laughing and occasionally trying to pull Derek into conversation with them. Eventually Derek relaxes enough to join in with the banter they have going.

“So Stiles is your Alpha, but how did she come to be your Alpha? A human Alpha, it’s not something I had heard of before your pack.” Scott leans forward in his chair, propping his arms up on the table in front of him. “It just made sense. I mean, look Derek, Stiles is a sheriff’s kid. She’s spent her whole life running headfirst into trouble. Which is actually how all this happened. She talked me into searching the woods for a body. While we were looking, we were attacked by a rogue Alpha. Stiles used her magic to scare him off, but not before he bit me. So with the full moon approaching, she buckled down and started researching. She taught me how to control my shift and how to use anchors. Later, when Jackson and Isaac were bitten, she just took them in and did the same for them. I guess she’s always been our Alpha.” Scott shrugs “If you want a specific moment when we knew for sure, it would probably be when she came back.” Derek gives him a puzzled look. “A week after Jackson and Isaac learned to control their shifts fully, Stiles disappeared. We were going crazy until we found the note she left us. The note just said that she’d be back soon and that her dad thought she was staying with me. Also that we’d better behave or she’d have our furry asses. She was gone 3 days. The day she got back she texted us to meet her in the woods with a bag of clothes for her to change into. When we got to her, she was covered in blood and dirt, carrying a dented steel baseball bat. The only thing she’d say was that the Alpha that turned us would never hurt anyone again. We don’t know exactly what happened while she was gone, she doesn’t talk about it so we don’t ask, but that would have to be the moment Stiles officially became our Alpha.” Derek’s blown away “She sounds like a good Alpha.” Scott smiles at Derek “She is.”

When they finish dinner Derek volunteers to help clean up. Scott and Derek are cleaning the dishes in the sink laughing when Stiles’ heart rate starts to increase. Derek hadn’t even realized he had been listening to it until now. He puts the dish he was washing down and turns just as Stiles lets out a blood-curdling scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I know this chapter is short and I'm not gonna lie, next weeks chapter is only slightly longer buuttttt chapter 6 will be the longest chapter to date and things are going start really picking up in it so yeah.   
> All the thanks to my beta Kapisj!   
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	5. Chapter 5

He’s moving before he can think, starting off towards Stiles. He’s stopped by Jackson and Scott, who are trying to force him into a chair. Isaac has vaulted over the table and out of the room towards the sound of Stiles’ screams.

Derek struggles against Jackson and Scott’s hold on his arms. Their claws are digging into his skin in effort to keep him down. “I have to get to her! I shouldn’t have left! What if she’s stopped healing! _Let me go_!”Derek feels panic crushing him. This is all his fault. She’s hurt because of him and he has to get to her. He hasn’t even been able to thank her for what she did yet. Scott and Jackson are yelling something at him, but he can’t hear over the sound of Stiles´ jackrabbit heartbeat.

Scott roughly grabs Derek’s face and makes him look at him. “Derek! She. Is. Fine. This has happened before. Listen! Focus!” Derek takes a deep breath and Stiles heart, while still going crazy, is slowing down. Her screams have tampered off to whimpers and he can hear Isaac making soothing noises, murmuring comforting words to her. Eventually her heart rate goes back to normal and the sounds cut off entirely. Derek relaxes enough under their hold that they let go. Derek takes several deep breaths. “What was that?!” Derek demands. His own heartbeat is still slightly elevated. When he heard her scream it was like his chest was in his throat. He can feel his wolf beneath the surface pacing, wanting to go comfort her. He pushes the feeling down and looks expectantly at them. 

Scott and Jackson aren’t looking at him, though, they’re looking back toward the living room where Isaac emerges from a second later. He scrubs a hand down his face and blows a breath out. “She’s fine now.” Derek looks to Isaac.

“What just happened?” Isaac pulls out a chair and sits down straddling it.

“It’s been happening a few times a day since we got you guys out of the club. We think she’s still having the dream about you-“Derek cuts him off “What dream about me?” Isaac’s freezes and Jackson slaps him on the back of the head. “Great job Isaac, really.” Jackson crosses his arms while leaning against the island counter and sighs. “We were waiting until Stiles was awake so she could explain it to you, but clearly, we can’t.” Jackson takes a deep breath in “About a month ago Stiles started having dreams about you. Well, actually a wolf, but it’s you- you’re the wolf. Basically the dreams were warning her that you were in danger. So she’s spent the last month shadowing you to make sure you weren’t in any immediate danger.” Derek frowns that would explain the itch he had felt that whole month but there’s no way she could have really been there the whole time. Derek only really felt her presence for the first time at the club. Derek goes to open his mouth, but Isaac stops him. “She can hide herself from our sense. You catching her at the club was because she let you notice her.” Derek lets everything sink in and looks to them with raised eyebrows.

“She’s doing all of this to protect me because a dream told her to?” They all nod. Derek blows out a breath and rubs his hands over his face. “She’s okay, though? She isn’t in pain when she starts screaming like that?” Isaac shakes his head.

“She doesn’t smell like pain when she does it, only panic.” Derek clenches his jaw. Of course. Someone saves his life and he keeps them from healing and gives them nightmares. Derek looks up at them. “How did she know it was me if in the dreams I’m a wolf?”

Scott steps forward. “Look man, let’s go to sleep, we’ll talk more in the morning.” Derek nods and lets himself be led to the guest room he’s staying in. Jackson lingers, standing in the doorway and Derek raises a questioning brow.

“Hey man, I picked these up earlier. We figured you might want something other than what we put you in after the attack to sleep in.” Jackson tosses him a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. “Hope those fit, I just guessed your size.” Derek nods and offers him what he hopes looks like a thankful smile. The t-shirt and pants he has been wearing since he woke up are a little snug, he’s hoping these will fit better. Jackson nods back and after a beat disappears down the hallway into his own room.

Derek changes into the pajamas and tries to get comfortable in the bed. After several minutes of flopping around, trying to get comfortable, Derek gives up and settles for staring blankly at the ceiling while listening to Stiles heartbeat several doors down. Derek’s contemplating counting sheep when he hears Stiles heart rate start to increase. Before he can even think about it he’s down the hall heading into her room. He grabs her hand and makes a few hushing noises running his thumb over her hand like he had done before. Eventually, her heartbeat settles out again and Derek blows out a breath. He collapses in the seat still beside her bed, and for the second time in twenty four hours falls asleep to the sound of Stile’s steady heartbeat holding her hand in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short but next weeks chapter will be the longest chapter yet, so I guess I hope that makes up for the shortness of this chapter and chapter 4. Anyway all the thanks go to my beta Kapisj!  
> my tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	6. Chapter 6

Sleeping in a chair isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, and Derek only slightly regrets doing so upon waking. He sits up and moves his head around trying to relieve the tension in his neck from the odd angle he slept in. His movements cause the blanket that had been draped around him to slide down off his shoulders. Derek picks the blanket up and only has a second to puzzle over it, and how it came to be on him, before he realizes. He’s holding the blanket up, with _both_ hands. He drops the blanket and looks to the bed - its empty. He freezes and has a moment of panic before he hears it: Stiles heartbeat. He releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and ventures out of the room towards the sound.

Derek makes his way into the kitchen, where he finds Stiles and Jackson. Stiles is freshly showered, with her hair hanging wet around her face, sitting on the kitchen counter. She’s clutching a cup of coffee to her chest like it´s a life line and watching Jackson as he moves around the kitchen cooking breakfast, occasionally handing him things he needs.

After a minute of silently observing them, Jackson speaks up from his spot at the stove. “Do you plan on standing there all day, Derek?” Derek startles slightly and wipes his face carefully blank. Stiles, who has now been made aware of his presence, looks to him and sends him a megawatt smile. Derek feels his wolf preen at the attention and he mentally scolds himself.

Derek’s lack of a response of any kind has Stiles face reddening slightly in a blush. She pulls the coffee mug up to her face and sips from it carefully, schooling her features behind it. After a beat, she pulls the mug away from her face and raises a hand in a half wave. “So, uh, hey… I’m Stiles. I’ve kind of been shadowing you past month.” After a second her eyes go wide and she throws her hands up spilling coffee as she half yells. “But not in like, a weird creepy way! I’ve just been dreaming about you!” He quirks an eyebrow up and tries to hide his amusement. Stiles waves a hand again. “That didn’t come out right.” She drags a frustrated hand through her hair and sighs.

Jackson snorts from his place at the stove “Don’t strain yourself thinking, it’s not your strong suit.” Stiles, without missing a beat, snarls back. “I’d tell you the same about cooking, but you’ve clearly been domesticated- you know, being my bitch and all.” Jackson rumbles unhappily and Stiles puts her mug down and jumps off the counter before walking over to Jackson, who bares his throat for her. She brings a hand up to the back of his neck and gives a brief squeeze before ruffling his hair affectionately and cooing at him. “Oh, you know I didn’t mean that. If you’re anyone’s bitch, it’s Lydia’s.”

Derek is watching the whole thing with an odd sort of fascination. Stiles turns around, facing him. “Ok, let me restart this. My dreams told me to find and protect you. From what? Not sure, but I intend to do it. I would appreciate if you made the whole thing easier on us by staying here until we have the situation under control.” She tilts her chin up defiantly, like she’s expecting to be met with resistance. Derek shrugs and nods his head at her. “Sure.” She startles a little then a smile breaks out across her face. “Awesome, dude” Derek grumbles.

“Don’t call me dude.” Stiles rolls her eyes and Derek can feel the corner of his mouth twitch up.

Stiles is suddenly in Derek’s personal space, shoving a plate into his hands and directing him to the table to sit. She then hustles Jackson into a chair and places a plate in front of him too. Jackson moves to stand up and Stiles spins around and points a finger at him. “Sit.” She says, in a commanding voice, and Jackson reluctantly sits back down as Stiles puts the food on the table.

When she finishes, she looks at Jackson with her hands on her hips. “So who do you think will be quickest to get?” Jackson says around a mouthful of toast “Oh, McCall definitely.” Stiles plucks the toast out of Jacksons hands and takes a bite. “Wish me luck.” She then leaves the room, toast in hand.

Derek looks to Jackson, confused about what just transpired, and makes an inquisitive noise. Jackson just taps his ear and rolls his eyes. Derek listens to Stiles as she walks down the hallway, and hears her enter a room. She starts to speak. “Scott-wake up,” she says gently. “Scott? Scott.” Her voice is getting firmer and she snorts before saying “Allison is here.” Derek hears a sharp inhale and Scott’s excited voice. “Allison?!” Scott makes a confused noise and Stiles starts laughing. “Stiles, that wasn’t fu- Stiles?!” Derek hears a thud and Stiles laughter get louder as Scott chants “You’re awake!” over and over. After a minute Stiles’ laughter dies down. “All right, off the merchandise. I just got back in working order. Go eat breakfast, I have to wake up Isaac.” A minute later, Scott comes bounding into the kitchen and plops down into the chair beside Derek, giving him a big grin.

Derek listens back into what Stiles is doing and hears her now waking Isaac. “Isaac, pup, time to get up.” Derek can hear Isaac stirring and after a second Isaac slurs out a confused. “S’iles?” Stiles laughs. “Morning, pup.” Isaac lets out a whimper, and Derek can hear Stiles saying comforting words to Isaac. “Hey, I’m fine look, see, good as new.” Derek tunes out the rest feeling like he shouldn’t intrude on such a private moment. Isaac was apparently more affected by his Alpha’s injuries than he let show.

A few minute later, Stiles walks into the kitchen, as well as someone can walk with a person attached to them at least. Isaac has his arms wrapped around Stiles’ middle and his chin hooked on her shoulder. Stiles laughs as Isaac nuzzles his face into her neck and pats his head. “Yeah, yeah, you have to let go pup. I need you to eat, Lord knows what you’ve all been eating if Scott’s had to cook at all.” Scott makes an indignant noise and Stiles rolls her eyes.

“Oh can it Scott.Last time you made dinner, we had to order pizza and if it wasn’t for werewolf healing - thank goodness for that - you would have lost your eyebrows for longer than the hour it took for them to grow back.” Jackson grins around a bite of food at the memory, while Isaac stifles his laughter in Stiles’ shoulder. Scott gasps. “Hey! I could have pulled off the look!” Jackson snorts. “McCall, you looked like a Chihuahua.” Isaac is shaking with laughter and Scott turns to Derek.

“I did not look like a Chihuahua!” Derek bites his lip in effort to keep his amusement from showing and nods at Scott. “I’m sure you didn’t.” Stiles, who has freed herself from Isaac’s, hold grins at Scott.

“Really, Scott? So you wouldn’t mind me showing Derek the pictures we have from it?” Scott turns his wide eyes to Stiles.

“You have pictures still?! I thought you got rid of them!” Stiles makes an innocent face.

“Guess you thought wrong. Hey, I can go get them if you-“Scott is waving his hands frantically. “No! You were right! I shouldn’t be allowed to cook!” Stiles grins as she puts a plate down in front of Scott. “That’s what I thought.”

Eating breakfast with Stiles pack should feel more awkward for Derek than it does. Despite the amount of wolfing out that’s almost happened between everyone, Derek feels comfortable. It’s been too long since he was last around a pack.

As breakfast comes to a close, Stiles clears her throat getting serious. “Ok, I’ve been out four days correct?” Jackson nods affirmative while Isaac and Scott begin to clear the table. Derek stands to help, but Isaac pushes him back into the chair.

Stiles sighs and pulls her hair back out of her face and into a pony tail. “Give me a rundown then.” Jackson casts a look at Derek before beginning.

“Ok, well when we got to the club Scott and Isaac took you and Derek to Deaton, and I stayed behind. I got lucky and caught the scent of one of the attackers and tracked them down. I interrogated him, but it didn’t lead to much. They’re a group of hunters from a few towns over. They don’t know who hired them. The idiots just got a letter telling them the target and how much money was in it for them if they could get him to a drop off point. I’ve already checked it out, it’s just a burned down house on the preserve. I couldn-“ Jackson stops talking when he notices Stiles’ eyes have fogged over white, her face twisted in anger. She releases a harsh breath and looks to Derek, who had stiffened in his chair at the mention of the preserve.

“The drop off point is your old house! Those twisted fu-“ Derek cuts her off grabbing her arm. She falls silent at the touch, eyes clearing back to their normal golden brown.

“Stiles, its fine. They didn’t get me and no one was hurt in that fire anyway.” An odd expression crosses Stiles’ face for a second, but before Derek can process it, it’s gone. Stiles shakes her head and looks to Jackson. “Continue.”

“Basically, we have no current leads on who hired them, but they definitely won’t be a problem anymore. Allison put the fear of God in them and they went running out of town with their tails between their legs. Lydia will be back from her conference in New York tomorrow. We didn’t tell her what happened until yesterday, when the conference ended, so she wouldn’t try to leave early.” Stiles nods her approval and says in a sing-song voice. “Oh, she’s going to kill you guys.” Scott pouts.

“Not fair! We only did it because you would have killed us for making her leave such an important event early!” Stiles smiles. “Darn right I would have. So how’d Lydia take the news, Jackson?” Stiles’ grin is downright evil and Derek gets the feeling Lydia is someone he should be terrified of. Jackson’s face gets petulant like a child’s and he slouches in his chair.

“She said she was going to shove wolfsbane so far up my ass I would taste it, and that if I ever withhold information from her again she’ll turn me into earmuffs.” Derek barks out a laugh that he quickly tries to cover with a cough when Jackson shoots him a dark look. Derek scratches the back of his neck.

“That… uh…sounds unfortunate.” Stiles biting down on a smile speaks up. “Alright, alright, I’ll talk to Lydia when she gets back. Is that all?” Jackson shakes his head,

“Your father called.” Stiles drops her head on the table and repeats that action a few times muttering under her breath a steady stream of cuss words. “What did you tell him?” Isaac, who’s finished cleaning and joined them at the table again, speaks up.

“He thinks you and Jackson are rushing to meet a deadline and I told him that you’d visit as soon as you guys finished.” Stiles lets out a sigh of relief and pulls Isaac toward her and drops kisses all over his head. “You are brilliant pup, thank you!” Isaac laughs and squirms under Stiles hold.

Stiles releases Isaac and looks to everyone in the room. “Derek has agreed to stay with us until we can get this banged out. We need to take a few preventative measures, so today Jackson and Isaac are with me. We’re going to go have some meetings with some key figures and spread the word that Derek here is under our protection, and that no one is to touch him. Derek, Scott will take you to your place so you can get your things for your stay here. Sound good?” Everyone nods and Stiles goes to stand up. Derek suddenly realizes he still has a hold on Stiles’ arm and quickly withdrawals his hand.

Stiles turns to Isaac and Jackson. “Let’s go play dress up for the big dogs.” Scott walks to Derek, patting him on the back. “Looks like it’s you and me. Come on, we have some time until we need to leave.” Derek follows Scott to the living room and takes a seat on the other end of the couch Scott is sitting on.

Derek, instead of watching Scott continually flick through TV channels, has taken to watching Jackson, Isaac, and Stiles. They’re a flurry of activity as they get ready. Scott seems unfazed by the whole thing as he finally settles on a channel-thank the heavens, Derek was ready to break the remote in half. Jackson and Isaac, wearing matching outfits of black slacks and jackets over crisp white shirts, have finally finished getting ready and are standing off to the side, waiting on Stiles who appears a minute later out of the hallway.

Stiles is wearing a slinky black dress with red heels. She walks in front of the couch and does a little twirl. “So?” she says hand on her hips.

Derek can feel his mouth go dry and before he can say something mortifying out loud, like that he thinks she looks beautiful, Scott speaks up. “You’re good, can’t see the knives at all.” Stiles grins “Awesome”

Jackson hands Stiles a red cloak and Stiles puts it on, flicking the hood over her head. Isaac steps forward and hands her the staff she had in the club. It’s long and golden with red vines winding up it. At the top, emerging from the red vines in stone, is a wolves head. Stiles runs her fingers over the head and Derek swears for a second the eyes of the stone wolf flash red. She looks like a force to be reckoned with. She takes a deep breath and blows it out. “Wish us luck.” And with that, she, Jackson, and Isaac leave.

…………………………………………………

Spending time with Scott isn’t that bad. He doesn’t expect Derek to make small talk like most people do and seems content to watch TV in silence. It’s refreshing.

Eventually, Scott jumps up and extends a hand to Derek pulling him up off the couch. “Okay man, go throw on some clothes and meet me back here.”

Derek throws on his jeans from the club, keeping on the t-shirt he slept in and grimaces. He goes to the living room in it, none the less. When Scott sees him, his face twists up at the slashes through the jeans from Derek’s claws. Scott offers him a sheepish smile and shrugs. “At least we washed the blood out?” Derek rolls his eyes and huffs. Scott grins and waves for Derek to follow him.

Scott leads Derek out the front door and around the house to a large garage. Scott hits a button on a fob and one of the garage doors opens to reveal a beat up blue jeep. Scott turns his head towards Derek as he speaks. “They took Jackson’s car and my bikes out of the question, so we’re taking Stiles car.” Derek raises a brow to Scott.

“This car looks like a death trap, werewolf healing aside.” Scott laughs as he gets in the driver’s seat. “Don’t let Stiles hear you call her baby that.”

The drive to his apartment doesn't take long, and it only takes minutes for Derek to throw his clothes into a bag. Derek grabs the keys to the Camaro and starts to head to the parking garage in his building, but Scott’s stopping him. “Whoa there man, what are you doing?” Derek lifts his keys in front of Scott’s face.

“Driving my car back?” Scott plucks the keys out of Derek’s hands and Derek tamps down on the urge to growl. “No can do man, sorry, you’re under our protection and driving alone is a no go. You won’t be going anywhere without one of us until you aren’t in any danger.” Derek reaches for his keys.

“Scott, just let me drive the Camaro back to your place, it’ll be fine.” Scott moves the keys out of Derek’s reach. “Stiles will have my head if anything happens to you. I can’t allow you to drive.” Derek flashes his eyes at Scott who just rolls his eyes and pockets Derek’s keys. “Come on Derek, let’s go.”

…………………………………………

The others aren’t back yet and its pushing 9:00. Derek is starting to feel antsy. Scott who’s been trying to distract Derek with video games sighs. “Derek, they’re fine. They can handle themselves. When I called earlier Jackson said they wouldn’t get back until late at night. Now come play this with me so I can beat you again, you suck at this, man.”

…………………………………………

Derek wakes up to the sound of the lock in the front door turning. He sits up from where he fell asleep by the couch, playing games with Scott. Its 2:47 in the morning. Derek shakes Scott awake. Scott jolts up. “Hmm?” Derek nods to the front door as it opens to reveal a very tired looking Jackson, Isaac, and Stiles.

Derek and Scott stand up as the others make their way toward them. Scott, in a groggy voice, asks Stiles how it went. She waves her hand around in a way Derek thinks is supposed to indicate that it went fine. He’s not really sure. He’s not sure Stiles really knows what it’s supposed to mean, she looks half awake and has Isaac trying to doze on her shoulder.

Stiles rubs at her face and yawns. “We’ll talk in the morning. Everyone go to bed.”

Derek ends up helping a half awake Isaac to his room, before he shuffles back down the hallway towards his own room. Derek falls asleep as soon as he hits the mattress. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7 will be up next Saturday. All the awards go to Kapisj who betas this fic.  
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	7. Chapter 7

When Derek wakes up, he seeks out Stile’s heartbeat. It’s feels almost like second nature now. His wolf finds comfort in hearing it, usually only the heartbeats of his pack has that kind of effect, but he supposes Stiles saving him endeared her to his wolf to an extent. His wolf most likely associates her with safety because she protected him. It’s the only thing that would make sense. He pushes those thoughts away; he can tell Stiles is sleeping still by the slow beats of her heart. Derek gets out of bed and plans on heading to the kitchen to get coffee, but he stops short in the living room.

Jackson, Isaac, and Scott are all standing in the middle of the living room and they’re all staring at the front door in abject terror. Derek tilts his head and focuses on outside. He can hear the distinct sound of someone walking in heels towards the front door. The person on the other side of the door raps twice and silence falls. Isaac tugs at Scotts arm. “What do we do?!” Scott shushes him. “She’s going to kill us, man!” There’s another knock on the door, much harsher this time. After a minute, the person on the other side sighs heavily.

“I’m not here to hurt you, though if you don’t open this door in the next five seconds I can’t say it will stay that way.” There’s a mad rush to the door and Isaac practically rips it off its hinges.

Looking unimpressed in the doorway is a petite redhead. She steps in and looks around the room. When her eyes land on Dere,k she looks him up and down before cocking an eyebrow at him. “Interesting,” she turns to the boys in the doorway again. “Isaac, get started on breakfast and Scott, I need two coffees.” When the betas run off, she gets on her tip toes and kisses Jackson. “Her room?” Jackson nods and the tiny redhead struts off towards the hallway.

Derek glances from her to Jackson and cocks an eyebrow at him. Jackson sighs and tilts his head toward the hallway where the redhead had just disappeared. “Lydia.” Derek remembers the conversation from yesterday, and blurts out without thinking: “You’re her bitch?” There’s a loud clang from the kitchen and the sound of Isaac and Scott cackling. Isaac calls from the kitchen. “You have no idea, man!”

Derek and Jackson migrate into the kitchen as Derek hears a loud shriek of “Lydia!” and a thud, that can only be Stiles falling off her bed, followed by a series of cuss words. Isaac snickers and Derek can feel himself smiling, until suddenly he can’t hear anything. His head snaps up and he searches for any sound coming from the room, but all he’s getting is silence. He can’t hear her heartbeat anymore, but before he can work himself into a panic, Scott speaks up.

“Soundproof rooms.” Derek gives him a puzzled look because they weren’t soundproof before. Scott sees his expression and explains. “Stiles made charms for everyone’s rooms. We can activate them whenever we want to. It makes things less awkward for everyone. Lydia and Stiles probably just want to talk in private.”

Ten minutes later a smug looking Lydia, and a furiously blushing Stiles, enter the kitchen. Stiles’ hair is a mess and she has creases in her face from her pillow. It’s terribly endearing and Derek looks away, because he shouldn’t be finding the Alpha who was kind enough to take him in like this cute.

Scott brushes by Derek to hand Lydia and Stiles the coffees he made them. Lydia just nods her thanks and delicately sips from the cup. Stiles, on the other hand, at the sight of the coffee starts making grabby hands for it. She takes a sip and lets out the most obscene sound Derek’s ever heard made over a coffee. His entire back goes rigid and he forces himself to relax.

“Enjoying your coffee, Stilinski? Should we leave you alone with it?” Jackson laughs as Stiles makes an indignant noise at him. “Actually yes, my coffee and I would like that very much. We’re still in the honeymoon phase you know, I can’t keep him out of me.” Jackson laughs and Derek chokes a little on his own spit. He glances around the room to see if anyone noticed his distressed state, but no one seems to have been paying him any attent- …shit. Lydia is looking at him with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Derek gulps.

“So Derek,” Lydia starts as she takes a step toward him. “You’re the mystery wolf from Stiles dreams. I guess the question is what have you done to make someone go after you like this?” Derek breathes out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through his hair.

“I don’t really know? I haven’t been back in Beacon Hills for long, and I mostly keep to myself.” Scott shakes his head.

“Come on, man, think. There has to be someone.” Derek grits his teeth.

“One. There’s one person who would try to pull something like this, but they’re dead. So it hardly matters.” Derek clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides. He really doesn’t like this line of questioning. Scott raises an eyebrow.

“Are you sure they’re dead? Because we’ve had se-“Derek cuts him off when he practically roars in Scotts face. “Yes! I’m sure they’re dead!” Derek pushes away from the counter and storms out of the kitchen.

Once Derek gets to his room he drops to the floor and puts his head between his knees and focuses on breathing. He knows he overreacted, but it’s always been a touchy subject. It’s his fault; if it wasn’t for him then it would have never happened. It’s all because of him that- “Derek?” Derek pushes himself up off the ground and opens the door.

Stiles are in the doorway, holding a plate of food. “I’m sorry- about back there. We’re really just trying to help. I figured you’d want breakfast and I wasn’t sure if you wanted to eat with everyone right now so…” Stiles rocks on her heals a little. Derek feels a reluctant smile work its way onto his face and he nods and reaches for the food. “Thanks, Stiles. About everything. The club, letting me stay here.” Stiles smiles and shakes her head.

“It’s no big deal really.” She scratches the back of her neck and they stand in the doorway, awkwardly staring at each other. “So um…” Stiles bites her lip and Derek resolutely doesn’t let his gaze slip down to her mouth. Crushing on the Alpha taking him in is _bad_. It’s a no go. They’ve hardly spoken! So what if he thinks her eyes are captivating and he wants to count her moles- nope. No go. Danger zone. It doesn’t matter if he _feels_ connected to her, there’s _nothing_ there. Derek ignores the whine his wolf lets out at that particular thought and focuses back on Stiles, who is gesturing wildly as she talks. “-sound good?”  Derek just stares at her dumbly. She’s been talking and he has _no idea_ what she just said.

“Oh, yeah-no, it’s fine I get it. Why would you want to- it’s no big deal. I’ll just-“ Stiles jerks her head back in reference to the hallway and starts backing out. Derek finally comes to his senses and reaches a hand out. “Wait! No! That uh…sounds great?” Stiles beams and Derek feels like he’s made the right choice, whatever that is.

“Perfect! So we’ll leave around 11:30, yeah? I have to go handle some things, but I’ll see you then okay? Talk to you later, Derek!” Stiles sends one more smile Derek’s way before bounding down the hallway. Derek closes the door to his room, grinning.

Wait, what did he even just agree to?

_*_

11:25 rolls around and Derek’s pacing in his room. He threw on some jeans and a t-shirt, hoping it was ok for whatever he’s agreed too, but that’s the thing; _he doesn’t know what he’s agreed to._ Derek sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. He shouldn’t care this much. This is a casual thing they’re doing – something -, but it’s a casual something, no reason for him to get this worked up. Derek looks down at his shirt, and after a second of hesitation pulls it off and switches it out for one of his Henley’s.  Just as he’s started to doubt his decision, Stiles knocks on his door.

“Come on Derek, you ready?” Derek tugs the door open and nods. Stiles is wearing worn jeans and a plaid shirt over a t-shirt with her hair messily pulled back. Derek figures his outfit is ok if hers is anything to go by. “Yeah, I’m ready.” Stiles nods and motions for Derek to follow her.

Stiles lead him around the house to the garage where her jeep is. Stiles, as she walks to the driver’s side, pat the car lovingly. Derek feels his lips twitch up as Stiles coos at her jeep. Scott wasn’t kidding; the death trap really is like her baby. Scott’s bike is missing from the garage, but there’s now a very nice looking Porsche in the garage too. It must be Jackson’s car, and yeah, Derek really misses his Camaro right now.

Derek climbs into Stiles’ jeeps and she pulls out of the drive way and onto the road. “I hope you don’t mind, but before we grab lunch I need to make a quick stop.” Lunch! She invited him to lunch! Which, now that Derek thinks about it, makes a lot of sense. Derek smiles and shakes his head. “Not a problem at all.”

Five minutes later, they’re pulling up in front of the Sheriff’s station and Derek casts a confused look to Stiles. She reaches into the back seat and grabs a bag before jumping out. Derek briefly wonders how he missed the bag of food before Stiles is peaking her head back into the car. “Hey, it’ll only take a minute. I’ll be right back, I promise!” Stiles hurries toward the station and once inside and out of sight, Derek tunes his ears into the station and tracks the sound of her making her way through the station.

Several people say hey to Stiles before he can hear her entering a separate room away from all the noise. “You know I don’t think the town wants to be forced to get a new sheriff because the last one ran himself ragged. Which reminds me of why I’m here, I brought you food, like the good daughter I am.” _Daughter_ of course, Scott mentioned that the first night at dinner. Derek can hear a man groan.

“Stiles, I love you, but I can’t live off the rabbit food.” Stiles huffs

“No dad, you see this rabbit food is what’s keeping you alive. Unlike the pizza I know you’ve eaten this week.”  There’s a beat of silence.

“I don’t know what you-“Stiles cuts him off.

“Don’t even try it. I have eyes and ears everywhere, now eat the lunch I so lovingly made for you.” The man - Stiles father, the sheriff - sighs. “What did I do to get a kid like you?”

“Something horrible I’m sure.” Derek hears the sheriff mumble under his breath. “Or something wonderful.” His next words are much clearer. “Missed you, kid. Did you and Jackson make the deadline in time?” Derek can hear Stiles heart rate increase for a second before settling again.

“Yeah, sorry I haven’t been around the past few days, things have just been… hectic.” There’s the sound of shuffling papers before the sheriff speaks again.

“It’s fine, kid. You can’t always have time for your old man.” Stiles mock gasps. “You?! Old?! Never! You know who I bet wouldn’t use that word to describe you? Mrs. McCa-,“ The sheriff makes a startled noise and practically yells out “Alright, Stiles! Good to see you, but it’s time I get back to my job! You know the one that doesn’t involve meddling daughters.” Stiles laughs. “Bye, Daddio!”

The exchange between Stiles and her father makes Derek smile. When Stiles gets back to the car, she jumps in grinning. “So, how do you feel about curly fries?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK so next week's chapter should be up in time but if it isn't I'm super sorry. My computer is having a meltdown and i can't really see half the screen, which is rather inconvenient. It should be fixed before the next chapter goes up but if it isn't and I can't put 8 up, I'm very sorry. So yeah there's that. On a happier note that doesn't involve malfunctioning computers my beta Kapisj is awesome and all the awards and thanks go to her.  
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	8. Chapter 8

Stiles takes them to a diner near the sheriff’s station. Upon entering, Stiles is swept up into a hug by an older man. She laughs as he twirls her around. When he puts her down, he calls over his shoulder. “Anita! Gem is here, get over here!” Derek shoots Stiles a confused look, before a woman comes puttering out of the kitchen and greets Stiles with a kiss on the cheek.

“My little Gem, what a surprise! Usually you call before you visit. It isn’t about your father, is it? Because I made sure our new waitress knew to only serve him from your approved list of foods.” Stiles smiles and shakes her head. “No Anita, I know you’d never serve him contraband. I’m just here to grab some lunch.” Anita pouts exaggeratedly.

“My little Gem isn’t here to see me? I feel as if I haven’t seen you in months.”  Stiles roll her eyes.

“It’s only been a few weeks. I know I haven’t been around as much. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.” Anita looks over to Derek seemingly noticing him for the first time.

“Ah yes, I can see why you’ve been busy, my Gem.” Stiles gasp, and turn to the older man who had hugged her before.

“Jeb! Control your wife!” he just laughs and shakes his head at them with a fond expression on his face. Stiles sighs and looks back to Anita.

“He’s a friend, Anita. Derek, this is Anita and Jeb, Anita and Jeb this is Derek.” Derek shakes hands with the couple and nods hello to them.

“Well Gem, we’ll let you two kids get seated.” Anita ushers them into a booth before her and Jeb disappear into the back of the diner.

Derek looks at Stiles across the booth. “Gem?” Stiles puts her face in her hands and groans. “Nickname.” Derek raises his eyebrows at her. “I thought Stiles was your nickname?”

“This one is derived from my actual name, and no, you can’t know what it is. No one should. _Ever_.” Derek snorts and glances at the back of the diner.

“They seem nice.” Stiles smiles softly.

“Yeah, they are. After my uh, after my mom died, my Dad and I spent many a night eating here. Anita and Jeb ended up kind of taking both of us under their wing. They’re like the nosy Grandparents I never had.” Derek smiles at Stiles and they sit in silence for a moment, before Stiles clears her throat and pushes her menu to the side of the table and does the same with Derek’s.

“I didn’t expect Anita to be here, she usually comes in later in the afternoon. I know I promised curly fries, but it isn’t going to happen. Don’t even bother with the menu. I can guarantee you she’s back there starting on some hearty meal to feed us because ‘I’ve gotten too thin’ and she’ll give you extra servings because ‘a growing boy like you needs sustenance’” Derek snorts. “I think I’ve stopped growing.” Stiles shakes her head.

“Yeah, I don’t think that matters to her. You should see how much she feeds the guys. They love her, Isaac calls her grandma.” Derek’s seen the guys eating habits first hand and he can only imagine how much food Anita must be making for them.

True to Stiles word, Anita ends up coming out with several plates laden with food. Derek hides and amused face behind a hand and Stiles grins at him.

After Anita leaves, Stiles shoots a slightly pensive look in Derek’s direction, but when she sees Derek looking at her she plasters on a smile and starts eating.

Derek takes a bite of the food and oh my gosh, can Anita be his grandmother? Because he would probably kill to have her cook for him like this on a regular basis, he says as much to Stiles and she laughs.

“So I know your family moved after the fire, so why did you come back here?” after a second Stiles adds in. “If you don’t mind me asking.” Derek shakes his head.

“I don’t mind at all. After the fire things in my family got…rough. It was best we left, so we moved to New York. I stayed there throughout college, but I didn’t feel right there, and things were…tense. So I traveled. That’s basically what I’ve spent the past five years doing. I liked it but nothing felt right, really. Eventually I realized nowhere really ever felt as right as here did. As cliché as it sounds, Beacon Hills is my home and I guess that’s what drew me back. I’ve been here almost a year now and it does- feel right.” Stiles has an odd look on her face, the atmosphere is suddenly thick with something Derek can’t pinpoint.

“Yeah, I get it. I could never leave, not permanently. My pack is here.” Stiles pokes at her food and Derek clears his throat changing the subject.

“So Isaac said he told your dad you and Jackson had a deadline? What do all of you do exactly?” Stiles takes a sip of her drink and holds up a finger and digs out her phone.

“Isaac and Scott work with Deaton which is unfair because things like this happen.” She holds her phone across the table for Derek to see and pulled up is a picture of a kitten sleeping on Isaac’s head. “They’re already like massive puppies, they shouldn’t be put around more. I can hardly stand to visit them at the clinic sometimes because watching them with the animals is like staring into the soul of a unicorn.” Derek raises an eyebrow at that particular comparison and Stiles flails a little bit.

“Hey! You know it’s true! Just wait until one of them asks for a favor from you and they pull out the puppy dog eyes. You won’t be able to refuse them no matter how hard you scowl.” Stiles laughs and gestures to his face.

“You’re making the face now. I’m pretty sure it’s your thinking face. To be fair I haven’t seen you make it much the past few days. Not to sound like a creep, but when I was shadowing you, you tended to look like you were going to destroy the world with your eyebrows of doom.” Derek carefully wipes his face blank and says in a deadpan voice.

“Eyebrows of doom?” Stiles bursts out laughing and Derek feels something tug at his chest. Derek’s mouth turns up and he prompts Stiles to continue. “So what about the rest of you?”

“Well, Lydia works in her dads company and is working her way up the ranks. That’s why she was out of town; there was a business event. It’s really important to her to prove to people she isn’t there because of who her father is. Allison is Scott’s mate and literally the most terrifying human being ever with a crossbow, but like a Disney princess in every other way. She’ll probably be around soon. She’s been insanely busy because she teaches archery and her business just took off because of the Hunger Games craze.” Derek hums around a bite of food in acknowledgement.

“And you?” Derek prompts. Stiles looks sheepish and scratches the back of her neck.

“Jackson and I, we uh write children’s book together.” Derek stops eating and looks at her interested.

“Really anything I would have heard of?” Stiles slouches down in the booth and her face heats a little.

“Wewritetheredseries” Stiles hurries out in a mumble. Derek gapes.

“Did you say the Red Series?” Stiles nods shyly and Derek has a second to process the information before he’s bent over laughing. Stiles has gone from looking shy to petulant, it’s edging in on the territory of adorable and really this isn’t fair to Derek. He regains his breath and looks up at Stiles.

“Sorry, really, I just, of course. The Red Pack writing The Red Series, which is a children’s series about Little Red Riding Hood fighting off the supernatural with the help of her wolf.” Derek lets out a few more laughs before adding “I’ve read all the books three times. My nieces and nephews love them.” Stiles grins a little.

“It’s really convenient, honestly; it gives me time to handle pack things while bringing in money to support the pack. When we realized it helped cover things up it was an added bonus. Like, if my dad caught us saying something about mountain trolls we could always fall back on the books. We didn’t expect them to get as big as they have.” And that’s actually brilliant. He has to give it to them, it’s certainly one of the more creative ways people have hidden the supernatural.

“So, your dad doesn’t know anything?” Stiles shakes her head.

“My mom taught me how to use my spark and when she got sick Deaton started training me, but we never told my dad. I think she didn’t want to burden him with it. He wouldn’t be able to handle knowing about the truth behind most things and not being able to do anything about it. It would kill him and she didn’t want that for him.”

“He doesn’t know you’re an Alpha so you moving into a house with three guys must have seemed weird.” Stiles snorts.

“Not really. At that point he just accepted that Scott, Jackson, and Isaac were always around. At first, though, in high school he was suspicious as hell and it was hilarious. Scott was already practically living at my house but then suddenly Jackson and Isaac were basically living there too and my dad was not pleased. He thought they were up to something. It was great. I think for the first few months he thought I had entered a polyamorous relationship with them all.” Derek chuckles and Stiles makes a little flail motion.

“You have no idea! The first time he found us all sleeping in a pile with me in the middle I thought he was going to pass out. His eye was twitching and everything! He warmed up to them, though. He realized Jackson wasn’t out to steal away my virtue and that Isaac saw me as more of a maternal figure than anything.”

“Yeah, you and Isaac seem really close.”

“We are. He had- Isaac had a rough childhood and I just, I’m glad I can be here for him. He’s my pup.” Stiles shakes her head. “Enough about me. Regale me with tales of your travel, good sir.” Derek rolls his eyes but obliges her nonetheless.

_*_

Eventually, they finish eating and Stiles hugs Anita and Jeb goodbye promising to have dinner with them soon. Surprisingly enough, Anita pulls Derek in for a hug and tells him to “take good care of her little Gem.” Derek can only nod.

They climb into Stiles car and Stiles hesitates to start the car. Derek shoots her a curious look before she starts speaking. “You want to see something?” Derek shrugs and nods.

Stiles smiles and pulls out of the parking lot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my computer screen is still broken but hey, I still got this chapter up so yay. Chapter 9 shall be up next Saturday. Deafening applause for Kapisj who betas this fic.  
> my tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/
> 
> Update 12/15/13: Fixed a mess up in dialog that FaithTrustandPixieDust was kind enough to point out. Apparently using a computer with a broken screen to post chapters isn't always the best idea.
> 
> Update 12/17/13: Apparently it wasn't fixed because the world is a trap but the line in question should read "He doesn't know you're an Alpha so you moving into a house with three guys must have seemed weird." So note that I have tried to fix it and that if it's still messed up I have no clue why.


	9. Chapter 9

When Stiles pulls up in front of a house, Derek is confused to say the least. He turns to ask Stiles where they are, but she’s already out of the car and walking towards the house. Half way to the front door Stiles stops and turns to Derek, who’s still in the car. “Well?” She says, waving for him to come. Derek huffs and gets out of the car, jogging to catch up with Stiles.

They reach the front door and Derek’s eyebrows rise in question at Stiles when instead of knocking, she pulls out a set of keys and unlocks the door. Stiles notices Derek’s face and says in a deadpan “Oh, did I mention it’s me trying to kill you. This is my secret liar. Prepare to die.” She rolls her eyes. “Stop being to suspicious and get your ass in here.”

When Derek enters the house, he suddenly understands where they are. He can smell Stiles all over the place and there are pictures of her and a man who must be the Sheriff all over the walls. “Welcome to casa de Stilinski, I shall be your tour guide, follow me.”

Derek follows her up a staircase, pausing every once and awhile to smile at the pictures of her lining the walls. Stiles leads them into what must have been her childhood bedroom, judging by the posters covering the walls.

 Stiles walk over to her window and open it, only to throw one leg out of it. Derek is by her in an instant, holding her arm. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Stiles laughs and pats the hand clutching her arm.

“Relax, Sourwolf.” Derek’s chest constricts at the nickname and he lets go of Stiles like he’s been burned. His wolf whimpers at the loss of touch. Stiles reaches outside the window and pulls a knotted rope towards her and uses it to pull herself onto the roof. She calls to Derek “Come on!” Derek swings onto the roof and follows Stiles as she carefully maneuvers around to the other side facing the woods. Stiles sits down and motions for Derek to do the same. “I used to come out here to think and get away from everything for a while.” Stiles looks to Derek, squinting slightly because of the sun shining in her face.

“I want you to be able to trust us, you know. I get this has all probably been a lot for you, but we’re here to help.” Derek nods not looking at Stiles, but instead staring at the woods stretching out behind her house.

“I don’t want to make you upset, Derek, and I’m sorry we upset you this morning. We just can’t go into this blind we have to know what we’re up against.” Derek nods again.

“This morning you said only one person would do this, but that it didn’t matter because they were dead?” Derek nods rigidly feeling panic welling up in his chest.

“Can you tell me about it? It might be useful information.” Stiles slides a hand over one of Derek’s clenched ones and he lets out a shaky breath. Derek nods and takes a minute to breath before he opens his mouth.

“Argent.” Derek’s about to explain, but Stiles looks stricken. Her pulse has skyrocketed and her hand is now clutching Derek’s. “Where’s my phone?!” Stiles jumps up and pats her pockets frantically. Derek stands up and reaches out towards Stiles. “What’s wrong?” Stiles turns her wide eyes to Derek.

“What Argent?! Derek I need to know what did they do?!” Stiles breathing is starting to get ragged. “My phone! I need my phone!”

“Stiles calm down! You can use mine!” Derek goes to pull out his phone, but fumbles it when it starts ringing. In an effort to get it, Derek loses his footing and falls off the roof. There’s a beat of silence before Derek can hear Stiles say “Shit!” and what sounds like her scrambling to get back in the window.

While Derek waits for Stiles he takes inventory of his injuries. He broke his leg in the fall and cracked a few ribs if the feeling in his chest is anything to go by. He can hear Stiles running down the stairs spewing a litany of curses. Beside him his phone starts ringing again. He doesn’t feel like answering it or moving at all. He fell off a roof, he’s allowed to be lazy for a few minutes while his bones mend.

Stiles come running out of the house and skids to a stop by Derek dropping down beside him. “Shit Derek, are you ok?!” She looks him over, running her hands over him while checking for injuries. Derek grunts and his phone starts ringing for the third time. He glares halfheartedly at it and Stiles reaches for it, keeping one hand on Derek’s chest over his heart as if to reassure herself he’s OK. Derek relaxes under the touch as Stiles answers the phone. “Hello?”

“Derek?” His entire body goes cold at the sound of that voice. Derek stares at the phone in horror. He was attacked and he forgot to call. He never called his mom, his _Alpha._

She’s going to skin him alive.

“No, this is Alpha Stilinski, you must be Derek’s mother Alpha Hale.--nice to meet you too--can he call you back in a few minutes, Alpha Hale? He just took quite a tumble- -I’d say roughly 30 feet. – Yes, he’s fine, just needs to regain his breath-- I’ll tell him. Nice talking to you too, Alpha Hale.” Derek frozen in shock watches as Stiles hangs up the phone and all of her cool collected demeanor slips away she tosses the phone away from her like it’s on fire.

“Dude!” She hisses “I know what angry Alpha sounds like and _that_ was angry Alpha. What did you do?! Never mind that, we have something important to discuss and some people that need to be present for it. I’m going to go make some phone calls. You call your mom and sort stuff out with her.” Stiles walks away disappearing inside the house and Derek sits up reaching for his phone.

Derek sends out a silent prayer before he hits call. She picks up immediately. “Derek Edward Hale! What have you gotten yourself into? You better have a good explanation as to why I got word today that you were under the protection of the Red pack and not to be touched?!” Derek scrubs a hand down his face.

“It’s a long story?” His mom sighs down the line.

“Well then it’s a good thing I always have time for you, then.” Derek feels his mouth twitch up into a smile.

“About a week ago I was attacked in a nightclub. They would have gotten me, but Stiles saved me.”

“Stiles?”

“Alpha Stilinski, head of the Red Pack. She saved me, but we we’re both out of commission for a few days. I’ve been awake probably less than 72 hours? It’s all been a lot to take in and I’m sorry I didn’t call. It slipped my mind.” Derek can hear her sigh down the line.

“So she’s protecting you, from whom?”

“…We, uh don’t know yet?” Derek absent mindedly picks at the grass while his mother mumbles something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like a curse.

“Do I need to come down there, Derek? I’m sure Alpha Stilinksi is very capable but-“

“Mom no, it’s fine, Stiles wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I’m safe as possible and the pack needs you in New York.”

“I just worry about you, Derek. I mean, you know how incredibly lucky you were that Alpha Stilinski happened to be there? That she’s willing to take you in?”

“Actually, she was there because she knew I was in trouble, but yes I know things could have gone down very differently.” Derek’s mother makes a curious noise.

“She knew you were in trouble? How?”

“She dreamed it.” Derek’s mother inhales sharply

“Her dreams told her you were in trouble?” Derek nods slowly even though his mother can’t see him.

“Yes? What is it?”

“..Nothing, I’m just impressed with her abilities. Can I have her phone number please?”

“Why?”

“Don’t question me, Derek, I’m your Alpha and it’s rude. And I’ll have you know it’s because I want to be able to keep tabs on you and what’s happening in Beacon Hills.”

“I’ll send it to you in a bit, okay? Love you mom, and I’m sorry I forgot to call.”

“Love you too, pup.”

When Derek hangs up, he heads into the house. When he walks into the kitchen, Stiles is ending a phone call. She hasn’t noticed Derek’s presence yet and is worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She reaches to take a sip of water, but her hands are shaking and she drops the glass. Derek crouches beside her to help. Stiles tries to brush him off. “Sorry, I’m just clumsy.” Derek knows that’s not the reason she dropped the glass, but he lets it slide.

After some back and forth, Derek is able to talk Stiles into sitting down and letting him finish cleaning the glass up. He can see how she’s shaking; she shouldn’t be trying to clean up glass. Just as he finishes the doorbell rings and Stiles goes to get it.

She comes back with Scott and a dark haired girl. Stiles leads them to the dining room. After everyone is seated, Stiles begins to speak. “Allison this is Derek. Derek this is Allison…Allison Argent.” Derek’s spine stiffens. Stiles continues after a beat.

“She’s not like the rest of her family. She can be trusted. Derek, you said the Argent who would try to hurt you is dead, and we need to know what Argent it is.” Derek looks at Stiles and she’s wiped her face of all emotion.

“Kate. Kate Argent. She seduced me and used me to get to my family. She trapped us in our house and tried to burn us alive.” Allison and Scott looked horrified. He heard Stiles heart skip a beat when he said Kate’s name, he looks to her and her face is stony and empty, he doesn’t like it. He continues.

“Afterwards my Uncle… was off. Everyone had survived the fire but he wasn’t the same. He killed Kate for it.” Stiles looks to Allison.

“What do you know about it?” Allison shakes her head.

“Not much. This happened before I was brought in. I remember my dad fighting with her leading up to her death, but that’s it.” Stiles nods and takes several deep breaths before hissing out through clenched teeth.

“Dammit! I need some air. Scott, take Derek back. I’ll be home later.” Stiles doesn’t wait for a response before leaving the room. Scott gives Allison a look and she gets up and follows Stiles out of the room. Scott leads Derek out of the house and into a car. Derek makes it five minutes into the drive before he cracks and turns to Scott.

“What’s going on?” Scott’s hands tighten on the wheel.

“Stiles is the only one who can tell you all of it. What I can say is that if Stiles is right about who’s after you then we’re all in danger.” Derek wants to ask more, like who exactly Stiles thinks it is but just turns and looks out the window, watching the houses blur by.

_*_

Derek knows the minute Stiles gets back, but he waits 30 minutes before seeking her out. He finds her on the roof. “What is it with you and roofs?” Stiles turns and gives him a small smile.

“Maybe I don’t like roofs so much as I like watching people fall of them. Want to take another tumble?” Her grin gets sharp and Derek looks at the drop to the ground.

“I don’t know, it depends. Are you going to explain what happened last time?” Stiles face gets stony and she says in a flat voice.

“You fell remember?” Derek shakes his head.

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Stiles sighs and gestures for him to sit by her much like they had been on her father’s roof before.

“Sit down, we may be up here a while.” Derek plops down beside her and for a few minutes they sit in silence Derek not pushing Stiles to talk until she’s ready.

“Allison and Scott met in high school about two months after Scott was bitten.” Derek looks at Stiles, but she’s keeping her gaze glued to the horizon. “Allison, at the time, didn’t even know werewolves existed. She thought her family sold weapons.” Stiles laughs hollowly. “Allison’s dad found out about Scott somehow… he told us he wouldn’t hurt Scott as long as Scott stayed away from Allison and didn’t attack anyone. It was unbearable being around Scott he pinned so hard. They tried to stay away from each other, but couldn’t. About a month into their ‘separation’, Allison’s grandfather came into town for a visit…Gerard caught them together. Scott, in his hurry to leave, fell, cut himself on the corner of her nightstand and before Scott could do anything the cut closed up and he healed in front of Gerard. Gerard, well, he started sniffing around because he knew Scott couldn’t be the only werewolf here. He became the principle at our school and eventually found out about Isaac and Jackson. He toyed with us for months. He would threaten to kill our family, chase us through the woods for hours. He enjoyed it all. It came to a head when he had one of his hunters attack Jackson at a lacrosse game. Everyone rushed to help Jackson, who was trying to hide the fact he was healing…” Stiles takes a deep breath and holds it in for several seconds until Derek reaches over and grabs her hand. She lets the breath out and twines their fingers together.

“Gerard used the distraction to take me.” Derek stops breathing for a second. Stiles continues on. “Chris hadn’t been able to do anything before, but Gerard taking me was a declaration of intent. He was going to kill us all, it was just a matter of when. Gerard, he had injected me with something that cut me off from my magic. I couldn’t fight back I was too drugged. He- he hurt me. He had me f- for two days before he dropped me off, bloodied on Scott’s doorstep.” Derek can feel his wolf snarling and thrashing at the thought of someone damaging the young Alpha in such a way, but he forces himself to breathe through it and listen to the rest of the story. “Scott’s mom gave me medical treatment. She knew about our pack. I stayed there healing for a few days; my dad already thought that’s where I had been. A few days later we essentially went to war. It didn’t matter that he had broken the code, there were still hunters who were willing to follow him. Chris and Allison helped with what they could, but there wasn’t much they could do to stop the attacks, only be there to fight them off with us. It went on for about a month. We never felt safe, always waiting for an attack. The last attack happened when we were in a warehouse outside of town and Gerard started charging me and I-I froze. He charged me and it was like I was back in his basement, chained up, and I couldn’t move. Jackson came to my rescue and in the fight Gerard’s leg got ripped clean off. We don’t know how but he got away. We haven’t heard from him since…” Stiles takes another deep breath.

“When it comes to Gerard Argent, we’re all emotionally compromised. He’s a sore spot for us. It’s entirely possibly Gerard is coming after you over Kate’s death. Being with us could strap an even larger target on your back. We’re supposed to protect you, but we may just be bringing more danger to you. I’d understand if- if you wanted to go and seek protection with y-your pack in New York.” Derek squeezes her hand.

“I’d like to stay, if you’ll let me.” Stiles nods and squeezes his hand back.

“Allison has put feelers out for Gerard. He’s unstable and my pack’s involvement most likely just added to his bag of crazy. I’m going to call in a favor but we need to be prepared for an attack at any time.” Derek nods and they spend the next hour holding hands laying on the roof in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah that's a thing that happened. What did you think of mama Hale? Derek really should have remembered to call his Mother but what can you do. Anyway the next chapter will be up next Saturday as always. Kapisj is still the best beta ever and still deserves all the awards.   
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	10. Chapter 10

It’s chaos. Derek’s sitting on a stool at the kitchen island. Isaac and Scott are somehow racing each other in setting the table while Stiles and Jackson work on dinner, occasionally singing and dancing along to the music blaring throughout the kitchen. The doorbell rings and Stiles turns toward the sound.

“Ah, that would be the favor I called in.” Scott and Isaac turn to Stiles, their eyes wide.

“You didn’t?!” Stiles just smiles and they take off towards the door. practically tripping over each other like eager puppies. Derek can hear the door open and then a series of excited shouts. Stiles stops working on the food to turn and look at the doorway of the kitchen where two figures appear. They’re both in leather jackets and Derek realizes they’re twins.

 Stiles laughs and runs toward them. The first one she reaches gives her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before moving to say hello to Jackson, but the second man picks her up, hugging her tightly and Derek lets slip a sub vocal growl at their prolonged contact. Stiles doesn’t notice, but the werewolf holding her looks at him flashing his eyes red. Instead of cowering his wolf is even more incensed, straining toward Stiles wanting to take her away from the Alpha and shelter her. Derek reigns the feeling in, they’re friends of Stiles. They aren’t there to hurt her, she isn’t in any danger.

Stiles tugs the twin that had been hugging her toward Derek. “Derek this is Alpha Ethan and that’s his brother Alpha Aiden, guys this is Derek.” They say hello to Derek and Derek tips his head in acknowledgement. “You’re both Alphas?” Isaac comes tumbling back into the kitchen and nods furtively at Derek.

“They do this twin mesh thing and they turn into like an Alpha Hulk, it’s awesome!” Aiden and Ethan laugh while Stiles makes a face.

“The end product is awesome, but the in between when you guys-“Stiles brings her hand together and makes a series of odd motions. “It makes me want to get my spine checked.” Stiles shudders and Ethan and Aiden just laugh harder. Derek is just confused.

“We’ll show you later, Derek. It’s nice to meet you man.” Aiden says, reaching across the island to shake Derek’s hand. Derek gives him a half smile. “You too.”  The doorbell rings again but this time it’s just Lydia and Allison. Stiles, upon seeing Lydia and Allison enter, claps her hands together. “Okay then, dinner is ready.”

After everyone is seated and eating, Aiden looks at Stiles and raises and eyebrow. “So what exactly do you need our help with here, Stiles?” She sighs before beginning to explain the situation to Ethan and Aiden. When she finishes, Ethan speaks up.

“So basically, eyebrows here made creepy grandpa angry and you’re asking that Aiden and I help you guys out?” Stiles snorts while Derek grumbles at the eyebrows comment. His eyebrows aren’t _that_ bad.

“That’s one way to put it. I get it if you two want to stay out of it, but Gerard isn’t exactly predictable and I don’t want to feel like we’re playing without a full deck of cards.” Ethan shakes his head at Stiles.

“Why would you ever think we would say no after what you guys did for us? If it wasn’t for you guys we’d still be Alpha pack bitch. This is the least we can do.” Stiles smiles.

“Thanks guys.” Aiden waves his hand at the comment.

“No problem, Stiles.”

Dinner passes with everyone chatting happily. Derek doesn’t like Ethan, but they’re willing to help them out so Derek will play nice for now. Everyone migrates to the living room, lying around, talking and in the cases of Ethan and Aiden; catching up.

Stiles bolts up and smacks herself in the forehead. “Guys I’m so sorry! I just realized I don’t have a room for you two to stay in. Derek has the guest room.” Ethan flashes a charming grin at Stiles.

“It’s OK, we can just share with you” Derek growls at Ethan who just rolls his eyes. Yeah, Derek _really_ doesn’t like Ethan.

“In your dreams, but no way am I making you two stay in a hotel. I know that’s a killer on the senses.” Scott chimes in from the floor where he’s curled up with Allison.

“You can stay with my mom! She’ll be glad to see you and it’s not too far from here.” Ethan and Aiden smile.

“Thanks Scott.” Scott beams at them while Stiles rolls her eyes.

“That should work, but let’s check with Mrs. McCall _before_ showing up at her house with these two.”

 Mrs. McCall ends up being more than willing to take the brothers in for the time being and Stiles thanks her before hangs up.

“OK, you two remember the way?” The twins nod and say bye to everyone for the night as they leave, heading over to Mrs. McCall’s.

Everyone spends about an hour just talking in the living room before turning in. Derek goes to sleep, thinking that spending time with the pack is something he could definitely get used to.

_*_

Derek’s the last to wake up in the morning. He walks into the living room to find almost everyone huddled together, drinking their coffee. He makes his way into the kitchen, but stops short when he sees Lydia shoving a phone in Stiles face hissing out “Tell him!” Stiles goes to respond, but notices Derek in the room and freezes while Lydia makes her face neutral giving away nothing. Stiles eventually offers a weak smile at Derek before sliding a mug of coffee across the island for him, he goes to thank her but Stiles has turned away from him going back to cooking at the stove top. He shrugs and joins the others in the living room.

Shortly after, Ethan and Aiden show up just in time to eat breakfast with everyone. And Derek does not flash his eyes when Ethan takes the open seat by Stiles he doesn’t. Breakfast is short this morning with everyone needing to head into work. Ethan and Aiden almost ended up staying, but Isaac and Scott had begged them to spend the day with them at the clinic, claiming Deaton wouldn’t mind the extra hands. Eventually the house is empty except for Jackson, Stiles, and Derek.

Derek’s about to ask Stiles what their plans for the day are when her phone starts to ring. Stiles looks at the caller I.D. and Derek hears her heart skip a beat before she’s excusing herself from the room and going into her own closing the door and activating the charm so he can’t hear inside.

30 minutes later Stiles comes out with an odd expression on her face. Derek gives her a concerned look. “Are you ok? What was the phone call about?” Stiles freezes for a moment.

“Why wouldn’t I be ok? I don’t look ok? That’s weird because I’m great! Beyond great in fact.” Stiles lets out a nervous chuckle and runs her hand through her hair.

Derek raises a brow at Stiles. “And the phone call?”

“Oh that? That was just another Alpha talking about uh pack relations.” Derek feels slightly irritated at the answer. While Stiles didn’t outright lie to him he knows it’s not the whole truth. She’s acting odd and she’s wording her responses carefully on purpose. He drops it for the time being.

Their plans for the day end up being following a lead Allison gave them. Stiles dresses up again, getting back out her cloak and staff making Derek and Jackson do the same. He doesn’t get why he had to dress up until they pull up in front of their destination. It’s a high class restaurant and Derek’s confused about the meeting place until they’re led into a private room in the back.

There are three werewolves inside; one is sitting at a table with two chairs. He’s flanked by the other two wolves. He’s young, Derek notices, built like a shit brick house with dark hair and eyes. Stiles calmly takes the chair across from him and Derek follows Jackson’s lead, standing behind Stiles.

They sit in silence for ten minutes with Stiles glaring down the Alpha across from her. Surprisingly the male Alpha breaks first tilting his head in acknowledgement. “Stiles” She scoffs and corrects him “Alpha Stilinski.” He chuckles

“Don’t be like that, Stiles.”

“Fine. Hello _Xander_.” The Alpha just chuckles more.

“I’ve missed your fire, little Red. Why is it that you’ve come to see me today? Not that I’m complaining.” He leers as he says it and Derek digs his claws into his hands.

“You know exactly why I’m here, Xander.” He taps his chin mockingly

“Hmm, I don’t think I do.” Derek feels like punching the smug smirk off of his face.

“We’re too old for these games, Xander.”

“Oh but you’re my favorite play thing, dear. We could have so much fun.” Stiles eyes get hard and she leans forward speaking in a steely tone.

“Xander, you have five seconds to tell me what you know about Gerard Argent. If you continue to waste my time like this then I’ll be forced tell the Lucas pack about where they’re-“Xander slams his hands down on the table.

“You will do no such thing!” Stiles smirks.

“Why wouldn’t I?” There’s a beat of silence before Xander is pulling out a piece of paper and sliding it across the table to Stiles.

“My boys have had some trouble with him lately. That’s a list of all his known locations in the past 6 months.” Stiles nods and stands to leave. As soon as she starts to turn her back, Xander is jumping across the table at her. Jackson and Derek don’t have have time to react, Stile is throwing her staff at Jackson who easily catches it and suddenly Stiles is on top of Xande,r holding him to the table, a dagger through both of his hands, the blade buried in the wood of the table top pinning them together. His betas go to move, but Derek and Jackson are on them in an instant.

Xander struggles under Stiles hold but she just twists the dagger causing him to scream. Stiles tuts at him. “Xander, struggling will make it worse. Wolfsbane is such a handy thing, very nice to coat weapons in, don’t you agree?” He goes limp beneath her and Stiles smiles predatorily. “That’s a good boy. Now submit.” Her tone is harsh and Derek understands how her pack has earned the respect they have, Stiles refuses to be pushed around. It’s almost impossible to connect this person to the girl who was fumbling through her words earlier this morning, but they’re one in the same. Xander starts to shake his head no, but Stiles eyes fog over white and the table lifts off the ground slightly “I. Said. _Submit._ ” Xander whimpers and bares his throat. The table drops back down to the ground and Stiles leans down putting her mouth next to Xanders ear as she whispers.

“Next time you try something like that I won’t be as forgiving. Watch yourself, Xander.” Stiles pulls the dragger out of his hand and wipes the blood off on his shirt before climbing off of him. Xander doesn’t move.

“Thanks for the information, Xander, so nice seeing you again!” Stiles leaves twirling her staff smoothly through her hands with the eyes on the wolf’s head glowing red.

_*_

They spend the rest of the day pouring over the list Xander gave them, hoping to find something to lead them to where Gerard is. Stiles sighs and flops down on the couch. “OK, guys, that’s enough for today. The others should be getting home soon.”

Jackson and Derek join Stiles on the couch. Stiles props her feet up in Jackson’s lap and rest her head in Derek’s. She scrubs her hands over her face. “Today blew. I hate dealing with fucking Xander. Fucking Xander is a creep. Fucking Xander can kiss my ass I don’t even know how that imbecile became an Alpha, fucking Xander and his fucking useless information.” Derek’s trying to clamp down on the laugh that’s building in his chest at Stiles rant. She must feel him shaking slightly because she pokes him in the thigh and grouches.

“Hey! What gives chucklehead?” Derek looks down at her and raises an eyebrow.

“Fucking Xander?” Stiles does a little, flail her legs kicking slightly in the process, catching Jackson in the face.

“ _Yes!_ Sorry Jackson! But yes! Fucking Xander! That is his full title and I shall call him only that hence forth because it conveys my anger and frustration towards him properly.” Derek laughs

“OK, Fucking Xander it is.” Stiles huffs and nods before drifting off.

That’s how the pack finds them; Jackson, Derek and Stiles all asleep on the couch with papers scattered around them from their research. Isaac insists on making dinner, claiming that they needed to sit and relax after all the research they’ve done.

Dinner is spent with everyone talking about their days and leads in Gerard, which is how they end up listening to Stiles go off on a tangent about Fucking Xander and how she could just strangle him and his stupid fucking face. The pack seems greatly amused by the whole thing, Isaac lets out a noise of dismay for Xander when Stiles mentions pinning him to the table with the dagger. Stiles rubs her temples. “We’re no closer to finding Gerard and who knows wh-“ Ethan cuts her off mid- rant. “Hey, calm down. It’ll be fine. You need to lighten up. You know what we should do for old times’ sake?” Everyone’s faces light up and Stiles shakes her head grinning slightly.

“We haven’t gone there in years, isn’t that a little weird to do now?” Aiden laughs

“When has that ever stopped you?” Derek feels like the odd man out, because he has no clue what’s happening. Suddenly Stiles is nodding and everyone is whooping and running to their rooms. Stiles stops short in the doorway when she realizes Derek is still sitting at the table.

“Yo wolfman! Get your bathing suit on, we’re going swimming!”

They pull up outside the high school and Derek is shaking his head. “We are not breaking into the school to go swimming.” Stiles rolls her eyes

“Technically _we_ aren’t, Ethan and Aiden are doing it and yes, yes we are going swimming.” Derek continues to shake his head.

“I’m not getting arrested.” Stiles throws her hands up in the air

“We won’t get caught! And even if we did I’m like 40% sure I could make it go away. My dad’s the sheriff and I’ve done way worse than this and technically only been arrested twice. It’s no big deal.” Derek can feel his eyebrows in his hairline.

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. OK let’s go.” Stiles fist pumps the air

“Yes! Come on all the others are probably swimming by now!”

When they get to the pool, Stiles sheds her t-shirt to reveal her bathing suit underneath and Derek is suddenly fascinated with the wall. Stiles tilts her head staring at the pool. “Hey where’s Is-“She’s cut off by a wet mass scooping her up and jumping into the water with her. Stiles comes up laughing and Derek smiles and she splashes Isaac in retaliation.

“Come on, Derek!” Stiles yells from the water. Derek rolls his eyes but jumps in nonetheless. Derek surprisingly finds himself having fun. While he may not like Ethan, Aiden isn’t half bad and Derek enjoys his companionable silence as they lean against the side of the pool, watching the others goof off. Derek can feel himself smiling as he sees Isaac and Scott climbing over each other, each trying to dunk the other under water. Jackson and Ethan have taken to racing and Stiles is in the other corner of the pool with Allison and Lydia laughing and talking. It feels comfortable. It feels right.

_*_

Derek wonders how exactly he was talked into this as he balances Stiles on his shoulders. He’s not sure, but he thinks it has something to do with wicked gleam in Lydia’s eyes when she suggested chicken fights while staring directly at him. She still has the look in her eyes now where she’s perched on Jackson’s shoulders. It doesn’t matter how he got roped into it now, because Jackson and Lydia are already approaching and he can feel Stiles tensing, her muscles preparing to fight.

They’re equally matched, both Stiles and Lydia are stubborn and Jackson and Derek are using their strength to their advantage; Jackson to push forward and Derek to keep Stiles on, though he’s careful not to hold on too tight so he doesn’t bruise her.

Suddenly, Jackson is splashing water in Derek’s face and his grip slackens for a second which is enough time for Lydia to get a good shove in on Stiles, sending her careening backwards. Stiles scrambles for purchase and Derek clutches at her legs keeping her on but not before she’s getting a handful of his hair and tugging _hard._ Derek’s knees do not buckle at that and he does not hide a chocked off moan behind a grunt. Dammit he knows Lydia knows, he can see it in her face. He just hopes she keeps her mouth shut because he doesn’t think the boys would take the news that he has the hots for their Alpha well. Gosh, Scott would probably try to hit him and this time actually succeed.

Stiles bends her head down to whisper to Derek that Jackson’s ticklish, like Jackson can’t hear her perfectly well, like she’s sharing a secret with him. Jackson gets a panicked look in his eyes, but can’t get away without sending Lydia toppling off. Derek lunges and in the end Stiles and Derek win. Derek beaming right back at Stiles as she high fives him.

Next Allison and Scott go against the twins, who try to do their creepy meld before Scott calls foul saying it’s unfair. Ethan and Aiden win and go up against Stiles and Isaac, who Derek let take his place so he could play. The twins win but Stiles doesn’t seem to mind as she ruffles Isaac hair. “Good job, pup.” Isaac beams at the praise.

When they decide to leave and start heading to the cars, Stiles jumps on Derek’s back. He catches her easily and she rests her head on his shoulder. “Prunywolf, you should carry me to the car.” Derek turns a corner, sharply jostling Stiles.

“My skin, now that I’m out of the water, will only be pruny for a few more minutes, yours will be pruny for much longer than mine so if anyone’s pruny here it’s you.” Derek smiles when Stile starts grumbling from his back about “Stupid werewolf powers.”

They’re in the parking lot heading towards Stiles jeep when Allison’s car pulls up beside them.

“Hey Derek, Ethan was going to ride with Jackson but he said he really wanted to ride back with Stiles. Would you mind switching?” Derek’s grip on Stiles tightens for a second before he forces a smile and shakes his head.

“No not at all.” Derek lets Stiles down and watches her and Ethan drive away before getting in the car with Jackson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Stiles is hella scary in Alpha mode and Ethan and Aiden have appeared! They were apart of the Alpha pack when they came to Beacon Hills but it wasn't really on a voluntary basis. Stiles and the pack helped them get out and defeated the Alphas. So Ethan and Aiden in this 'verse are much less murdery and have a closer relationship to the pack.   
> Anyway roaring applause for Kapisj who betas this fic and encourages me with kind words.   
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	11. Chapter 11

They’re three minutes into the car ride back that Jackson tenses. “Shit!” Jackson fumbles with his phone, holding it up to his ear. Derek can hear Stiles answer on the other end. “Jackson, what’s taking so long? Everyone’s already back.” Jackson glances in the rearview mirror before increasing their speed.

“Stiles, we’re being followed.” Stiles curses and Derek can hear a loud clang on the other end of the line.

“How many cars?” Jackson glances back again.

“I only see one, but there are at least seven people in it.”

“Get on the back roads, I’m on my way. Be careful.” Before the line disconnects Derek hears Stiles start yelling out orders.

Jackson tosses his phone in the backseat. “You may want to grab something, Derek.” Jackson suddenly jerks the wheel to the right and they go careening around a corner. Derek looks back at the large black SUV following them right as they open fire on the car.

“Really?!” Jackson yells, slamming his foot down on the accelerator and taking another sharp turn. Jackson reaches over and pushes Derek’s head down.

“Do you have a death wish?!” Derek gapes for a second.

“Do you?!” Jackson’s face if possible gets more annoyed.

“I can’t exactly afford the ability to protect my head from the bullets when I’m the one driving now, can I? Now, keep your head down and shut up. I’m trying to drive here.”

The back windshield shatters, causing Jackson to swerve slightly. Jackson breathes a sigh of relief and Derek peaks up. They’re still being chased, but they’re out of the residential area like Stiles instructed them. She must not be far awa- a car slams into them from the side, t-boning them and pinning their car into the wall of an old warehouse. Derek can hear Jackson screaming his name before he blacks out.

Derek opens his eyes and he can feel blood dripping down his face. Jackson looks at him with something akin to relief before going back to trying to get out of the car, kicking at the windshield. Derek can hear people filing out of the vans and he has a moment of panic before a horrible screeching sounds fills the air.

The van that hit them is being ripped away from where it had tangled with their car and Derek watches, in shock, as it goes hurdling down the road. His door flies off its hinges and Derek comes face to face with Stiles. Derek loses his breath at the sight. Her eyes are white and objects around her are lifting off the ground. She pulls Derek and Jackson out of the car.

“Run!” She points towards the tree line and Derek takes off with Jackson right as a round of gun fire goes off. He whips his head around in fear for Stiles. She’s stopped running and is now throwing her hands out in front of her, chanting something under her breath. She takes a deep breath and stomps hard on the ground, causing a wall of earth to shoot up temporarily blocking them from the attackers. Jackson gives him a sharp tug and he looks back in front of him as they run.

They make it to the tree line and within seconds are flanked by Scott and Isaac, who reach out to help support them. Derek blindly follows Isaac as he leads them away from the sounds of gun fire.

They burst out of the trees and into a clearing. Derek can see Allison and Lydia with a car on the other side. They’re almost halfway across the clearing when a golden brown wolf comes tearing out of the trees behind them and increases its speed running alongside them. Derek has a brief moment of confusion before Isaac, Scott, and Jackson start whooping and break off into howls.

The wolf yips and lets out a howl of its own and then Derek realizes _it’s Stiles._ He feels a laugh bubbling out of his chest and he howls too. They make it across the clearing and Scott and Isaac deposit him and Jackson in the car. Isaac, Lydia, and Allison get in the car with them. Derek’s about to ask about Stiles and Scott when, on the other side of the clearing, more men come pouring out of the woods. Scott turns and yells at Allison.

“Go! We have this!” Allison floors it and Derek looks back in time to see Stiles shift back to a person before blasting a wave of fire into the field.

It’s an hour of worrying later that Derek hears a motorcycle pulling up their drive way. Derek, freshly changed, bursts out the front door along with the others. Scott gets off the bike and helps Stiles off who’s wearing Scott’s shirt, having lost her clothes from her shift to a wolf.

Stiles hurries over to Derek and runs her hands over him. “Are you ok?” Derek just nods and Stiles reaches out for Jackson checking him over too.

“Allison, I need you to call your dad. Tell him fourteen hunters are tied up in the clearing and that he would be my favorite if he could hide the cars before we run the risk of people seeing them.” Allison nods and walks off with her phone in hand.

Stiles ushers everyone inside and sends Ethan and Aiden to Mrs. McCall’s, telling them to get some sleep. After everyone calms down from the nights events, Stiles starts pushing everyone towards their rooms. “All right, time for bed. Just because there was an attack doesn’t mean you don’t have work in the morning. We’ll talk about our next course of action later. Sleep it off.”

Derek lays in bed restless for half an hour before giving up and heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. He finds Stiles sitting in the center of the island, eating ice cream straight from the carton. He laughs and startles Stiles. She flails her arms accidentally sending the spoon in her hand sailing across the room. Derek laughs harder and Stiles sheepishly tilts the carton towards him. “Ice cream?” Derek grabs two spoons and joins Stiles on the counter.

“I didn’t know you could turn into a wolf.” Stiles shrugs as she eats big scoop of ice cream.

“I learned to do it so I could run with the guys on full moons. It’s come in handy a few times like tonight. Wolves run a lot faster than I do on my own two legs.”

“Yeah, about tonight, are you ok?” Stiles stares into the tub of ice cream.

“I mean yeah, I’m fine. I just, you were almost taken. You and Jackson. I almost wasn’t quick enough. That’s scary, you know? Losing people you care about.” Derek’s heart stutters in his chest and he shoves a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

“Lydia’s going to be pissed, but I don’t want anyone going anywhere alone, including work. Not until we have Gerard.” Derek hums in agreement around his spoon and shrugs.

 

“I don’t know, she could tell everyone Jackson was her personal assistant and make him get her coffees all day.” Stiles laughs

“Oh my gosh I would pay to see that. Sadly I need Jackson here; I figured I could send Aiden with her. Ethan can go with Allison. Scott and Isaac already work together.” Derek can feel a smirk working its way into his face at the knowledge that Ethan will be spending his days with Allison, far away from Stiles.

Stiles hops down off the counter, retrieving her spoon from before and drops it in the sink. She lets Derek grab one more spoonful of ice cream and puts the carton back into the freezer. “See you in the morning, I’m turning in. We have a full day ahead of us. Hey, you get to meet Chris tomorrow!”  Stiles snorts as she exits the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will of course, be up next Saturday. All the awards for Kapisj who betas this.   
> my tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight warning: the end of this chapter may be upsetting to people. It has what would be classified as animal cruelty so yeah :/

Breakfast is spent in silence; everyone being too tired to bother with speaking. Derek sympathizes. The four hours of sleep he got were not enough. Stiles, of course, uses everyone’s sleepy states to her advantage and springs the news that no one can go anywhere alone while handing out coffee. It works surprisingly well and there’s little complaint.

After everyone leaves for work, Stiles calls Chris and lets him know they’ll be heading his way soon. Derek watches Stiles blindly reach for her coffee, not lifting her head from where it rests on the table. He chuckles and slides it towards her. Stiles lifts the mug and downs the rest of it in one go. “Ok, time to get ready. Chris is waiting.” Stiles makes a show of dragging herself away from the table and towards her room, making sad pained sounds as she goes.

An hour later, they’re ready to go and functioning like semi-human beings. Jackson frowns at Stiles jeep and looks longingly towards the empty spot in the garage where his Porsche would go. Stiles rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on, Jackson, we’ll get you a new one!” Jackson pouts and lets out a whine.

“Stiles, your jeep is going to give me tetanus.” Stiles clutches her heart dramatically.

“Roscoe would never! And you can’t even get tetanus, you ass. Get in the car come on.”

When they pull up in front of the Argent’s, Derek feels himself get nervous. Stiles, sensing his nerves, places a hand on his arm. “Chris is on our side. It’s fine, come on.” She gives his an arm a squeeze before jumping out of the car.

When Chris opens the door he gives Stiles an exasperated look while she beams back with a shit eating grin. “Come on in guys.” He leads them to a large open office with books lining the walls. In the center of the room is a large table, a map covering half of it.

“We interrogated the boys you left for us. They gave us nothing. Same story Jackson got out of the other group of hunters. We took all their weapons and sent them packing in the van that wasn’t in the wreck. They won’t be a problem anymore. We put the damaged cars in the scrapyard.” Stiles sighs.

“Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite?” Derek can see the corner of Chris’ mouth twitch up.

“Yes, but I better be hearing it more often. You know how long it took to knock down the wall you put up in the middle of the road? Not to mention the fact that there’s now a gaping hole in the street.” Stiles smiles sheepishly.

“You’re my all-time favorite?” Chris sighs and shakes his head.

“Ok, so I compiled a list of all the places I’ve known Gerard to use to hide out in. I’ve sent my men to scout out the areas and report back. The two groups of hunters being hired in the same way around the same time leads me to believe that-“ Stiles waves her hand around. “Yeah, yeah, that he contacted several groups at one time and it’s like a free for all.” Chris nods and Stiles drops her head onto the table.

“Chris, no offense, but your dad is an asshole and I hate him.” Derek bites down on a smile.

“None taken, so how do you plan to move forward?” Stiles lifts her head from the table.

“We keep looking for him and try to all stay alive.”

Jackson speaks up from the corner of the room where he’s flipping through books. “I vote that when we find him, I rip his other leg off.” Derek snorts as Stiles raises a hand in agreement.

“I second that.” Chris rolls his eyes and reaches his hand out to Derek.

“I’m Chris, sorry my manners have been lacking. I just needed to run through things with Stiles first.” Derek shakes his hand.

“Derek.” Chris nods and flicks his eyes between Stiles and Derek briefly.

“Well Derek, you and Jackson can go help yourselves to the entertainment center. Stiles and I are going to be spending the day on the phone with my men looking over maps. It’s going to get boring.” Derek wants to protest that he doesn’t mind at all, but Jackson is grabbing him by the arm and dragging him from the room.

Chris’ ‘entertainment center’ turns out to be a state of the art training room. Jackson apparently makes use of this room often because he opens a cabinet and grabs clothes to change into and tosses Derek some of his spares.

Derek’s spotting for Jackson when he hears a loud laugh from Stiles upstairs. He smiles and looks down at Jackson. “Why does she call him Chris, but Scott’s mom Mrs. McCall?” Jackson continues his repetitions as he answers.

“It’s a respect thing. Not that she respects one more than the other. It’s just different kinds of respect. With Melissa, Stile’s has known her since she was a kid. She grew up calling her Mrs. McCall. She’s her best friend’s mom. She acknowledges that Melissa is someone to be respected and listened to. With Chris, Stiles didn’t know him until after she was the Alpha of our pack and trying to keep Scott from getting killed. They were always meeting to negotiate. So they call each other by their first names to show equal status. They respect each other and are on equal footing.” Derek nods.

“I guess that makes sense. They seem close, isn’t that weird for Allison?” Jackson snorts.

“More weird for Stiles’ dad. Yeah, Allison found it weird, but Stiles’ dad head almost spun around the first time he heard Stiles call him Chris so casually. Granted it probably had to do with the fact that Stiles was 16 and had been talking to him about coming over.” Derek snorts, that sounds about right for Stiles.

“How did she explain that to her dad?”

“She told him he was one of those new age parents who insisted on being called by their first name, then she said she was talking about going over to prepare a surprise party for Allison.” Derek’s eyebrows rise.

“He bought that?” Jackson shakes his head.

“Barely, he gave Chris the stink eye for months. They’re cool now, though he doesn’t like that Chris and Stiles are, as Stiles calls them, ‘bros’.” Derek laughs and he and Jackson switch places. As Derek starts his reps, Jackson continues talking.

“I think Chris sees her as a little sister. You should see half the pranks Stiles has pulled on him.” Derek grins at the thought.

“So Lydia and Allison are you and Scott’s mates, right?  Why don’t they live with you?”

“Lydia has an apartment by her office that she uses for guests and on days she has to get into work early. She stays over more nights than not, but right now she needs to focus on her work. Allison and Scott are mates, but it’s a delicate situation with Chris where Chris doesn’t really like Scott all that much. He told Allison that being ‘werewolf married’ wasn’t enough and that she could move in with Scott when they actually got married. Allison stills spends just as much time over as Lydia, but she tries to respect her dad’s wishes.” Jackson snorts. “Poor Chris, doesn’t even know how close Scott is to proposing. I would pay to be there when Scott tells Chris he’s going to propose.”

When lunch rolls around, Derek and Jackson have to drag Chris and Stiles away from their phones and the map and force them to eat. Stiles is racing through her meal and Derek briefly worries she may choke. Chris, while not matching her in speed, is eating quickly and eyeing their phones in the corner of the kitchen where Jackson put them.

Stiles slams her hand down on the table, jumps up and says through a mouthful of food “Phwinished!” After taking one last sip of her drink, she leaves the room, swiping her phone up as she goes back to the office. Chris picks up his speed and shortly after hurries out of the room after Stiles.

Jackson and Derek are still eating when Stiles comes skidding back into the room, talking into a phone “On our way!” Jackson and Derek are on their feet and Stiles looks at them with wide eyes.

“They found something.”

_*_

The cabin looks small and abandoned on the outside, inconspicuous at its best. Stiles, when they pull up, jumps out of the car and charges right into it before stopping dead in her tracks. Derek can smell something cloying the air.

Blood.

Chris runs after Stiles and stops in his tracks behind her. He turns and slams his hand into the door frame, letting out a curse. Derek and Jackson share a look before cautiously approaching the two.  Chris turns around and holds a hand out stopping them. He puts a hand on Stiles shoulder and turns to his men who are standing off to the side looking grim. “Go home… good work today.”

 As their car pulls off, a high pitched whine comes from the cabin. Stiles lets out a sob and runs inside. Derek and Jackson move to go after her, but Chris stops them again, speaking in a soft voice. “Call Deaton.” Derek’s wolf wines as he listens to Stiles cry, needing to go to her, but he listens to Chris and stays behind.

Deaton comes speeding up twenty-five minutes later, and this time Jackson and Derek follow him inside. They both freeze and Derek’s heart drops. Inside the cabin Stiles is crying, covered in the blood of the wolf she’s soothing. The wolf is laying on its side, chest heaving. But that’s not what stops Derek cold. What stops him are the five dead wolf pups littered around the room and the message painted in their blood on the wall. “Next time, it’s your pack.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( poor pups. I can't say the next chapter will end any better honestly. Everyone bow down to Kapisj and her supreme beta skills.
> 
> Here is a teaser for next Saturdays chapter in the form of the texts heroicferocity sent me after reading it:  
> hf: I FUCKING  
> hf: ANGSSST  
> hf: KItchEN COUNTERS  
> hf: FUCK YOU  
> hf: JACKSON FUCK 
> 
> Soooo yeah that's what you have to look forward too. Check out her tumblr or society6 shop:  
> Tumblr: http://heroicferocity.tumblr.com/  
> Society6: http://society6.com/neverqueenkirk/prints
> 
> My Tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	13. Chapter 13

_Next time, it’s your pack_.

It’s a warning to Stiles for helping Derek. The threat was clear; killing the five pups and leaving the mother alive. Gerard will make Stiles watch those she loves die if she keeps helping him. Derek can’t let something like that happen to the pack.

The mother wolf ends up dying. Deaton said it would have happened no matter what, that without her pups she lost the will to live anyway. Derek digs his claws into his hands to ground himself at the thought of how distraught Stiles would be if her pack were hurt.

On the ride home no one speaks. Derek texts the rest of the pack to get to the house, knowing Stiles will need the comfort of seeing them safe. Stiles continues in silence not bothering to speak, she just showers and cleans the blood off before curling up on the couch. It doesn’t take long for the pack to fill in around her. Derek stands off to the side awkwardly with Ethan and Aiden before the betas are dragging them into the pile too. Derek somehow ends up right beside Stiles and he hesitates only a moment before wrapping his arms around her. Stile looks over her shoulder, sees him and spins around facing him burying her face in his chest.

 

_*_

 

 

 

The pack spends dinner talking over how to proceed from this point on. It comes down to a fight between Scott and Stiles. “Stiles! Let me do it! I’ll play bait and when he comes for me I’ll-“ Stiles throws her arms up. “Do what! Get killed?! Scott, he doesn’t want you! He wants Derek! Even if he did fall for the bait, he’d just kill you! No, we keep searching for him and stick together.” Scott makes a frustrated noise.

“He wouldn’t kill me! I’ll have my phone’s GPS turned on and when he takes me back to where he’s hiding, you can track-“Stiles tugs at her hair and lets out a growl.

“Scott you aren’t getting it. Gerard isn’t stupid! He wouldn’t take you back. He’d just kill you and move on to trying to get to Derek. That’s what his entire threat today meant! He doesn’t care if he has to kill all of you to get to Derek!” Scott starts to yell something in response, but Derek speaks up cutting him off.

“Just take away your protection; what he did today is because you’re protecting me. Take it away and he won’t have to hurt you to get to me.” Derek stares at his hands, waiting for them to realize how right he is. That without him, this problem goes away. Scott speaks up first.

“Are you an idiot?!”

…Ok,  not the response Derek was expecting. He looks up and the entire table is staring at him like he’s grown a second head. Stiles squints at Derek and makes a frustrated noise. She points to Scott and barks out “What he said! Are you insane?! Do you think we would just leave you to fend for yourself and let Gerard take you?!” Derek works his mouth open and closed a few times trying to form an answer.

“But if I’m gone, you’re all out of danger.”

“He’s going after you. How long do you think till he decides it’s time to come after us too? We took his leg from him! And we don’t care if we would be ‘out of danger’. We don’t want anything to happen to you! You’re important too, Derek!” He feels something warm wrap its way around his chest at that statement.

“Really?” Derek asks and Lydia rolls her eyes.

“Of course.” Derek glances around the table to see everyone in the pack nodding in agreement. Derek catches Ethan out of the corner of his eye giving him an odd look, but Derek ignores him.

“So,” Stiles starts “We keep up the search and we keep an eye out for each other. Besides we already have an advantage.”

“What advantage?” Allison asks confused.

“I don’t think Gerard knows the twins are helping us. There were five pups, one for each member of the pack, but if he knew Ethan and Aiden were helping, he would have eluded to them being harmed too, even if they aren’t pack.”

As they finish up dinner, Stiles speaks up again. “I know we’ll be sticking together, but I don’t want to take any chances. Tomorrow I’m going to be making you all protective charms to wear and be teaching you how to work them.”

Derek joins Stiles in washing dishes while the pack picks out a movie to watch in the other room. They’re standing side by side, Derek drying while Stiles washes. Stiles bumps her hip against his. “Penny for your thoughts.” Derek ducks his head down to hide the smile stretching his face.

“I just really like being around you guys.” Stiles’ eyes light up with her smile and she turns, her body to face him as she talks.

“Yeah well, we like having you around too.” Stiles grin gets teasing “I mean, who else would Jackson pawn dish duty onto?” Derek laughs at Jackson’s indignant squawk from the living room and whips his dish towel at Stiles, who yelps and in retaliation wipes a sudsy hand down his face. Derek’s mouth drops open.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just do that.” Stiles grins

“Good, so we can just let this slide then.” Stiles runs her wet soapy hands through Derek’s hair and he stands there, frozen, in shock. After a minute, she steps away and looks at him only to burst out laughing. Derek looks at his reflection in the microwave door. He has suds going down the side of his face and his hair has been styled into a Mohawk.  Derek lets out a fake growl at Stiles and goes to lunge at her and she jumps back laughing.

“Come on, Sourwolf, it’s a good look for you!” Derek swipes a glass of water from the counter and takes a step towards Stiles. Her eyes widen and focus in on the glass of water.

“You wouldn’t” Derek grins predatorily and takes one last step towards Stiles. She goes to take another step back only to realize she’s hit the island counter. After a second of hesitancy, she jumps backwards on it and goes to try to push herself backwards across it and away from Derek, but he’s on her in an instant, putting the glass on the counter and grabbing her legs, dragging her back towards him.

 Stiles is on the edge of the counter now, Derek bracketed by her legs. Derek looks from the glass on the counter, to Stiles who’s looking at him through her lashes. His heart stutters in his chest and his eyes flicker down to her lips. His eyes trace a path back up her face to see her pupils blown wide. Stiles leans forward the slightest amount and he can feel her breath on his face. He leans forward to close the distance between them and- “Stiles! Tell Lydia we aren’t watching the notebook!” Stiles jumps startled and Derek takes several steps back. Stiles clears her throat and yells back without taking her eyes off Derek.

“Jackson! We agreed Lydia could watch it once a month and she hasn’t used this month’s yet so technically, we could!” Derek hears Scott say they should watch it and the following insult from Jackson. Stiles can’t hear any of that though. They’re still just staring at each other. Stiles opens her mouth to say something when a loud crash comes from the living room.

“Jackson and Scott.” Derek supplies for Stiles who makes a torn face before jumping off the counter and walking into the living room with a shout of “Jackson! Scott! This isn’t a competition to see whose is bigger! The answer is mine though in case you were wondering. Now sit your asses down and watch whatever the hell I put in!”

Derek beams in the kitchen as his wolf yips happily. It doesn’t matter that Jackson interrupted them because that wasn’t just Derek. She was leaning in too.

Derek smiles throughout the entire movie. It doesn’t matter he got seated next to Ethan on the couch or that they’re watching the Notebook, because _she leaned in._

_*_

 

Derek can’t get to sleep. Everyone went to bed over an hour ago but his thoughts are racing. How do Derek and Stiles move forward from here? Should he wait until after Gerard isn’t a threat anymore? Derek listens into the sound of Stiles sleeping soundly a few doors down from him and smiles. He’s about to try to sleep again when he hears a phone start to ring. Hungry like the wolf starts playing and Derek huffs out a laugh; it’s Stiles phone. He’s wondering who would try to call her at this time of night when he hears a groggy Stiles answer the phone. “’lo?” The person on the other end of the line starts speaking.

“We need to talk Stiles.” It’s Ethan and Derek suppresses a growl, what is Ethan doing calling her right now?

“Ethan? What? About what?”

“You know what Stiles, and since I’m so nice, I waited until everyone would be asleep. You’re welcome now get your ass outside so we can chat.” Stiles hangs up and Derek can hear her moving through the house, grumbling about ‘stupid nosy werewolves’ under her breath the whole way.

Derek waits maybe two minutes before he jumps up and goes to find them. Derek tracks them into the woods behind the house and tries to follow at a far enough distance so Ethan won’t notice him.

Derek finally gets close enough to hear what they’re saying, and as he listens his heart stops. “-n’t know what to say.” Stiles says sighing.

“There isn’t much to say. It’s pretty self-explanatory you know, mates.” Derek can’t breathe. Mates? Ethan and Stiles are mates? His wolf is thrashing beneath the surface snarling out a constant chant of _mine!mine!mine!_ it makes him want to collapse in on himself. He shoves the wolf down because Stiles isn’t his. She’s- she’s Ethan’s.

Derek feels like he’s being torn apart. He shifts letting his now whimpering wolf deal with the pain, before taking off further into the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hurt me? You'll find out more when the next chapter goes up next Saturday. If you want to rant at me for this ending like heroicferocity did leave a comment or find me on tumblr.   
> Everyone be blown away by Kapisj and her mad beta skills.
> 
> My tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> Heroicferocity's tumblr: http://heroicferocity.tumblr.com/


	14. Chapter 14

Derek wakes up covered in an assortment of dirt, leaves and blood. He’d be worried he had hurt someone last night if it wasn’t for the half eaten buck 20 feet away. He grimaces at the sight of it and weighs the pros and cons of not moving and staying where he passed out on the forest floor the night before indefinitely. Just as the pros side started to get too long he hears someone shouting. “-rek?! Derek?!” It’s Stiles and the sound of her voice has his wolf straining forward towards her. Derek lays there, not making any move to answer. He caves when his wolf starts whimpering and calls back.

 “Stiles”

“Derek! Where are you?”

“To your right.” A minute later, Stiles comes skidding to a stop by him, dropping to her knees and checking him for injury, much in the same way when had fallen off her roof. Derek’s thankful for the tattered shreds of clothing hanging off of him after somehow surviving the shift. They cover enough to give him some sense of modesty.

“Are you ok? What happened? Why are you out here?” Derek grabs her hands stilling them.

“I’m fine. I couldn’t sleep last night and decided to go for a run. As you can see I got a little carried away and crashed.” She lets a breath out and stands up brushing herself off.

“Ok, we need to get back. Just give me a minute.” She gets out her phone and dials in a number before holding the phone up to her ear. “You know you nearly gave me heart attack. Thanks for that by th- hey Scott! Yeah you were right; he’s fine. We’re on our way back.”

Stiles reaches a hand out to help pull Derek up. When he goes to take his hand back she squeezes tighter and his chest constricts painfully. The entire walk back to the house is spent with Derek chanting in his head a reminder that she’s with Ethan.

They make it back in time to say goodbye to everyone leaving for work. Isaac pats his shoulder on the way out. “Hey man, we told her you were fine. We could smell you went in the woods and figured you went for a run, but she wouldn’t listen.” Isaac eyes the blood splattered over his body.

“Apparently you dislike woodland creatures. I’ll remember that before trying to bring you to work with me, wouldn’t want you eating one of the patients.” Isaac has a shit-eating grin and Derek can feel his face heat in embarrassment.

Stiles snorts.

“I’d hardly call Derek a threat to the safety of puppies and kittens. And pot calling kettle. I recall seeing you wolfed out trying to eat a skunk once and we _all_ remember how well that worked out for you.” Isaac pouts calling over his shoulder as he exists the house. “That was _one_ time!”

Stiles tug at their interlocked hands and lead him to the kitchen, telling him to hop up on the counter. Derek flashes back to last night and grips the counter top painfully. Stiles is seemingly unaffected and grabs a wet rag and a plate of food. When he reaches for a piece of bacon, Stiles slaps his hand away. “How about we get the animal blood off our hands and face before eating, yeah?” Derek accepts the rag and does a quick wipe of his hands and face before snatching up the plate.

Stiles rewets the rag and starts wiping the blood and dirt off his chest. Derek forces himself to keep eating. His wolf is preening under the attention and he mentally scolds himself. When she finished wiping the excess grime off him. she exits the room only to return a minute later with a pair of his pajama bottoms. She tosses them to him and points to a bathroom to change in.

Derek appears out of the bathroom in his pajama pants and Stiles grabs his hand again dragging him to the couch pulling him down so his head’s in her lap and his body sprawled out over the rest of the couch. She tosses a blanket over him and starts flipping through TV channels. Derek goes to protest, but Stiles reaches a hand over and starts carding her fingers through his hair and yeah, ok, maybe he can lay here for a minute. There’s a whisper at the back of his head that this means nothing to her, she’s with Ethan, but the drag of her fingers through his hair and the sound of her steady heartbeat has him pushing the voice away and falling asleep.

_*_

When Derek wakes the fingers are still carding through his hair and he nuzzles into Stiles’ thigh, rumbling unhappily at the light shining around them in the room. He hears a series of laughs and someone coos something at him. “Come on, sleeping beauty.” Derek knows that voice: Ethan.

Derek bolts up now, wide awake. Ethan- Ethan is Stiles mate, she can’t be with him. Ever. Derek scoots down the couch, away from Stiles, sending a look to the room at large. Everyone’s here. “What time is it?” Stiles, who is for some reason frowning at the couch, snaps her head up to look at him.

“Oh, it’s 12:45. Let’s go eat and then we can talk about learning to use the charms tonight.”

_*_

 

They stand in a line as Stiles hands them necklaces with little bags attached to the end of them. “Ok, do _not_ open the bag on your necklaces. You have to be wearing them for it to work, so please wear them. They work like the charms in your rooms. Just put belief into them that they’ll work and they’ll put a protective barrier around you. We good so far?” They nod and slip their necklaces on.

“Only use these in case of an emergency. I’ll know when you activate it and be able to feel out where you are because of it. For now, we’ll practice using them and you can get a sense of how wide the barrier is.” Stiles motions Scott over.

“I’ll show you, Scott charge me.” Scott takes a good three steps towards Stiles before he goes flying backwards.

“See? Just imagine a barrier around yourself and believe it will work.” Stiles has them pair off and begin practicing using the barrier. Ethan, of course, picks Derek as his partner. Which is fine with him; his wolf feels like using Ethan into a chew toy.

Derek gets entirely too much pleasure out of watching Ethan go hurtling away from him and, on Derek’s favorite occasion, into a tree. Despite knowing he can’t reach him, Derek also gets a sick pleasure out of running at Ethan in attack.

They’ve been practicing half an hour when Scott’s charm throws a wolfed out Isaac hurdling through the air and towards an unaware Stiles. Before anyone can react, Isaac is being thrown back towards Scott and away from Stiles. Everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief as Scott calls out “Good save Stiles!” Stiles opens her mouth and turns to look at Derek with wide eyes.

“That one wasn’t me, Scott.” Derek is frozen; he isn’t sure what just happened. He saw Isaac flying towards Stiles, panicked and for some reason threw his hand out toward Stiles. Derek looks from his still outstretched hand to Stiles. “Good job, Derek.” Stiles face morphs from shock to a dazzling smile. Derek looks away and she turns to the rest of the group.

“Derek, kept Isaac from accidentally maiming me, go team. You can create barriers around others for them. Just flip the whole thing. Imagine the barrier around them and believe that they’ll be safe.” Derek is confused; he didn’t do any of that. At least he doesn’t think he did? Why did Stiles seem so shocked? He’s still unsure of why he threw his hand out the way he had. He didn’t even think about it, his body just reacted to Stiles in danger and shot his arm out. Which has never been a response to danger before if he’s perfectly honest.

Stiles, still grinning like a maniac, starts to head towards the house. “Hey guys, in a few minutes you can stop. I’m heading in, ok?” she turns towards him and Ethan.

“Ethan, want to come?” It feels like a slap to the face. Derek watches them go into the house together and then their heartbeats silence and he feels sick. Stiles took Ethan inside with her and now she’s using the silencing charm on her room. He doubts they’re just talking. His wolf starts to howl and thrash, demanding Derek to go in there and tear Ethan apart.

Derek’s so off kilter there’s a brief moment where he almost lunges at Aiden because he has the same face as Ethan. This has to stop. Derek wrestles to shove his wolf down and promises himself that he’s done with Stiles. He doesn’t have feelings for her anymore. He can’t. No, he doesn’t. He never did. His wolf is just confused because she’s saved him twice.

He can do this.

He can get over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened...   
> Everyone be grateful for the mad beta skills of Kapisj   
> You can find me on tumblr here: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> Someone offered me a dozen pillows last week if I updated this fic sooner. I had declined but I am so regretting that. I have fallen ill and man a load of pillows would be nice right now. Anyway my sickness should not get in the way of me posting next week's chapter buttttt I've fallen behind in some things because of it and will probably be ridiculously busy next week. IF a chapter isn't put up next Saturday it should most definitely be up Sunday.


	15. Chapter 15

It’s been a week since Stiles gave them the charms.

A week since Derek decided that he would stop whatever feelings had developed for Stiles.

It’s been one of the worst weeks of his life.

The first morning after he decided to end the whole thing, Stiles came into the kitchen reeking of happiness. It shouldn’t have bothered him the way it did but all he could see was Stiles and Ethan entering the house together the night before. It made him want to strangle Ethan with his own arm. Stiles had smiled at Derek and said hello. Derek had grunted out a response and turned away from her to talk to Isaac. As much as it hurt him to do so, it had to be done.

So that’s how the week has been spent, Stiles trying to talk to Derek and him turning away acting like he didn’t hear, which with werewolf hearing is impossible, her smiling at him and him looking back with a blank face, and the most painful one, him jerking away from her touch. The look on her face the first time he slipped out of her reach made his heart feel like it was splintering and his wolf howled mournfully scratching and pushing to go and comfort her.

He couldn’t give in, it’s just gratitude. That’s been his mantra all week: its gratitude nothing more. Stiles is with Ethan. Ethan who as the week progressed, was at Stiles’ side more and more shooting Derek dark looks.

Derek has spent every night this week running in the woods. Tonight is no exception. Derek is pounding through the forest trying to run the day off when he feels eyes on him. Derek stops on a dime spinning around. He can’t smell them or hear them but he can _feel_ it. Like the month Stiles spent shadowing him but stronger, more there, like they’re less practiced at hiding themselves.

Derek goes to activate his charm when an arrow is let loose and hits him. The barrier goes up in time to stop the second and the ones that follow. Derek still can’t see his assailant as he looks down at the arrow protruding from the right side of his torso. He goes to remove it but he can’t, the arrow is coated in wolfsbane and leaves welts on his hand from where he tried to grip it.

The arrows stop but Derek figures that has to do with the five wolves and three heavily armed girls that just came bursting out of a cluster of trees. The wolves go chasing after the shooter while Stiles is standing a few feet away looking terrified “Derek! Take the barrier down!” As soon as it’s down Stiles is collapsing beside Derek on the ground and huh, when did he get here? Why is he so tired?

“Derek stay awake!” Stiles yells as she rips the arrow out of his side.

“Lydia call Deaton, tell him we’re on our way!”

…………………………………

When Derek comes to he’s on a cool metal table and someone is holding his hand. He looks over to see stiles curled up asleep in a chair that’s been pulled up beside the exam table.

Deaton walks in “Ah you’re awake; you gave Stiles quite a scare there. The wolfsbane used on you was quite powerful. It could have killed you had Stiles not gotten you here when she did.” Deaton walks around the table to get closer to Derek as he looks him over.

“How are you feeling?” Derek shrugs and goes to let go of Stiles hand but she makes a distressed noise and clutches his hand tighter in her sleep. It’s too much, her being here, showing so much concern for him. He pries her hand off and Stiles wakes up “Derek? You’re awake! How are you?” She goes to reach for his hand again and he snatches it out of her reach.

Remembering Deaton’s presence Derek turns to him. “I’m feeling fine can I leave?” Deaton flickers his eyes between Derek and Stiles and after a second nods cautiously. Derek tries to avoid looking at Stiles as he leaves but he sees her anyway. Her hands are clutching the side of the table and her head is bent down, hurt rolling off of her in waves and Derek grits his teeth as he exits the exam room, his wolf howling mournfully the whole way.

Lydia and Allison jump up in the waiting room when they see him and cast a confused look at him and the door to the exam room. Derek shakes his head and walks out into the parking lot. He stumbles when he hears a broken off sob come from the clinic and then takes off running down the street. He has to get away, he doesn’t care that he’s only half dressed and in the open for anyone to see. He just runs.

His wolf is still howling four blocks away when he pulls out his phone to call Scott for a ride. The ride back to the house is tense and silent. When he walks into the house Aiden, Jackson, Isaac, and a dark haired guy Derek’s never seen before are standing in the living room giving him a varying degree of looks that range from inquiring to furious. Derek’s attention is drawn away from the men eyeing him when Ethan walks out of one of the betas bedrooms on the phone “I can’t understand you hun, I need you to calm down. You’re going to get yourself worked back up again.” Ethan looks up, sees Derek and promptly spins on his heel going back into the room slamming the door behind him and activating the charm in it so he can’t hear in.

Jackson’s phone vibrates with a text and as he looks down at it his eyes flash and his nostrils flare in anger. Jackson grabs his car keys and goes to storm out of the house slamming his shoulder into Derek’s as he walks by.

Jackson pauses at the door “If you’re going to be an ungrateful asshole, kindly fuck off.” Derek’s shoulders slump and he shuffles past Aiden and the dark haired man. Derek doesn’t really care who he is, at this point he just wants to get away from everyone.

Derek disappears into his room and curls up on the bed. If a few tears hit his pillow, no one’s there to call him on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah...  
> So! Everyone be amazed by Kapisj who beta's this and is wonderful.  
> You can find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> As always the new chapter will be up next Saturday.


	16. Chapter 16

Derek wants to disappear; his wolf is howling for Stiles and it’s hardly fair. He _can’t_ have her. She wouldn’t want him even if he was an option, not after how he’s treated her. He rolls out of bed and takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the judgmental looks the pack and the twins are going to be giving him.

Derek walks out into the living room, past the guy from last night and Ethan making out on the couch and into the kitch- Derek freezes and very slowly walks backwards. Ethan and the dark haired man are going at it and Derek feels himself partially shift. He lets out a deep growl before roaring “What are you doing?!”

Allison, Lydia, Jackson and Aiden come running out of the kitchen. Derek has Ethan pinned to the wall his claws pressing into his throat. Jackson approaches them slowly while everyone stands frozen in shock.

Ethan lets his eyes bleed red and commands Derek to put him down. Derek doesn’t even flinch. He lets out another growl and tightens his grip on Ethan’s throat. Ethan chokes out “What is your problem!”

Derek roars in Ethan’s face. “You’re cheating on her in her own home!” Lydia steps forward hands on her hips.

“Derek! Ethan isn’t with Stiles. Danny here-“ She gestures to the man on the couch “is Ethan’s _mate._ He came into town to be with Ethan!” Derek lets Ethan drop and his claws and fangs slowly recede back.

“But… but I thought- “Derek stutters out.

“You thought wrong, asswipe.” Jackson sneers at him.

“I- I need to see Stiles. Where is she?” Ethan, rubbing his neck, glares at Derek.

“So she can watch as you actively act like she doesn’t exist? Yeah, no.” Derek doesn’t know what to make of what they’ve told him. What did he hear in the woods a week ago?

“I _need_ to see Stiles.” Derek begs and Lydia, with a glint in her, eyes crosses her arms over her chest. You want to talk to her? Go find her yourself.” Jackson snorts

“Yeah, like he’ll be able to tr-“ But Derek’s already out the door following the sound of Stiles heartbeat to wherever she is.

_*_

 

Half an hour later Derek finds Stiles, Isaac and Scott perched on a rock overlooking Beacon Hills. Isaac and Scott are on him in an instant. “Leave. We’ll be back at the house later and tell whoever told you where we were that I’m kicking their ass.” Scott seethes.

“I tracked her using the sound of her heartbeat. So you have no asses to kick, Scott.” Scott and Isaac freeze before understanding comes over their features.

“Holy shit! Did no one ever teach you-“ Stiles cuts Isaac off

“Enough! Scott and Isaac, go home.” They both whine

“But Stiles-“

“I said go home.” Her voice leaves no room for argument and they reluctantly walk away.

Stiles, keeping her eyes on the view, reaches a hand out and pats the space beside her. Stiles doesn’t look away from Beacon Hills as he sits, but Derek uses the time to stare at her. He looks at her moles, the way her nose turns up, everything. Derek feels like he’s drowning in her presence. Her eyes are red and puffy like she’s been crying. It makes him arms itch with the need to hold her close and make it better.

Eventually, Derek works up the courage to speak after carefully choosing his words. “I’m sorry. I can’t really explain my actions- but know you and your pack’s friendship means the world to me. Can you forgive me for being a massive asshole?” Stiles moves her hand from her lap and hovers it above Derek’s. He turns his palm up and laces their fingers together. It’s like he can breathe again.

“Yeah,” Stiles says. “We’ll be just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thanks to Kapisj who betas this.  
> Find my here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> as always the new chapter will be up next Saturday


	17. Chapter 17

When they get up to head back to the house Stiles pulls out her phone and turns it on, causing it to immediately blow up with messages. Derek drives while Stiles texts furiously. He eyes the white knuckled grip she has on her phone and raises an eyebrow. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah, the pups are just being little shits.” Derek doesn’t feel like that’s all, but he lets it go. He isn’t going to push things when they just got back on good terms.

When they walk into the house everyone is staring at Derek with wondered expressions except Lydia and Ethan, who look smug. Derek’s feeling weirded out by their stares until Stiles makes a jerky motion with her hand and they all slowly scatter throughout the house. Well, except Ethan, who has an amused glint in his eye that makes Derek decide that yup, he still hates Ethan. “Hey Stiles, guess who cockblocked me this morning for cheating on you?” Stiles looks confused and Derek wants to bash Ethan over the head.

“Cheating on me?” Stiles’ face crinkles. “Guys, is Danny into sharing? Shit, Ethan do you swing for both teams now? Is this is your weird way of asking me out? The answer is no. I cannot and will not compete with Danny’s dimples. It wouldn’t be fair competition.” Ethan nods sagely at Stiles before they both burst out laughing. Once they both calm down from their laughter Stiles tilts her head confused looking at Ethan.

“Seriously though, what are you talking about?” Ethan grins

“Boy-wonder over there thought you and I were an item and when he saw me and Danny making out he wolfed and used me as a ragdoll. He apparently thought it was bad form to cheat on you on your own couch.” Stiles face passes through a series of emotions before she settles on one and doubles over in hysterics.

“He got- drop-you! Because-on my couch!” Stiles has tears coming out of her eyes she’s laughing so hard. “And you! You were just kissing your mate! He thought we-“ Stiles’ laughter starts to die down and Derek’s face is red in embarrassment.

“Ok, ok, I’m good, really.” Stiles finally stops laughing and leans over pecking a kiss on Derek’s cheek.

“Thanks for protecting my honor, even if it was unnecessary.” Stiles walks away chuckling, leaving Derek standing frozen in place. He reaches a hand up where she kissed his cheek and a grin breaks out across his face.

He’s done pretending his feeling for Stiles don’t exist.

Derek is going to win Stiles over no matter what.

_*_

It’s been three days since he and Stiles worked things out. From an outside view things have been great; Allison and Chris are leading the search for Gerard and really cracking down on things, and Stiles and Derek have been spending more time together regaining their footing. But the thing is they’re _never_ alone.

Derek’s glad the pack likes him and has forgiven him for what went down the week before. Really, he is. But they’ve been oddly clingy. Clingy in the way of that they _never_ leave him alone _ever._ Jackson keeps suggesting they play rough sports outside in the backyard, like football, but spends the entire time targeting Derek, tackling him, and staying in him longer than strictly necessary. Derek wonders if he was hugged enough as a child. Allison and Lydia haven’t treated him any differently except they hug him now occasionally. Scott insisted on doing his laundry but when he gave Derek his clothes back they smelt like Scott had rubbed his face over all his clothes.

Derek isn’t really sure what to make of it. Isaac follows him around constantly and Derek’s pretty sure he stole one of his Henley’s and has been sleeping in it. Derek would probably be more annoyed at Isaac always staring at him like he was a unicorn if it wasn’t for his puppy eyes. Stiles was right; the eyes have come back to bite him in the ass.

That’s not the point, though; the point is that he has had zero time alone with Stiles. Everyone is being a massive cockblock. That is, if there was a relationship to be cockblocking.

This morning Isaac asked if Derek could make his lunch for him instead of Stiles. Derek shrugged and started making him one to take to work because why not? Isaac probably wants to give Stiles a break. Isaac, though, when he agreed got stars in his eyes. Fucking stars, and asked Derek if he wanted to toss around a baseball after work. So yeah, things have been odd but not a bad way per-say. Derek could probably get used to it in time if it involved less tackling and more alone time with Stiles.

Derek isn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, though.

Even if it’s a cockblocking horse.

 

_*_

It’s about ten minutes after Jackson leaves the house to run errands that Derek realizes they’re alone. He almost doesn’t believe it and does a mental run down of the pack’s schedules. Holy shit, they’re alone. Derek almost drops the dish he had been cleaning and Stiles laughs. “Yeah, we’re alone. Everyone’s busy today.” Apparently Derek verbalized some of that. After a minute of tentative silence Derek looks over at Stiles.

“Want to go do something?” Stiles sends him a grin.

“Like what?” Derek shrugs.

“I don’t know… something. Anything.”  Stiles makes a thoughtful face before throwing her hands up in excitement.

“Oh, I know!” Stiles cringes as the glass that she had been cleaning hits the wall after flying out of her hands from her excited flailing. Derek’s started to notice the pattern when it comes to Stiles holding things while flailing.

“Smooth, Stiles.”

“Oops?” Stiles says, sheepishly.

Derek rolls his eyes and picks her up by her hips and setting her down on the counter. “Stay there.” It’s now Stiles turn to roll her eyes at Derek’s command.

“My hero.” The sarcasm isn’t lost on Derek but he just starts cleaning up the glass.

“Is this going to be a thing? I break stuff and you clean it? Because that would actually be useful, I break like five things a month and let me tell you, cleaning up glass can be a bitch.”

“Not a chance, Stiles. You’re barefoot and I didn’t want you to cut yourself.” Stiles pouts and Derek wishes it wasn’t as charming as it was.

“But chivalrouswolf, what if I cut my hands on the glass and in a rush to stop the bleeding I fall and cut myself on more glass, and my fall rattles the cabinets making the glasses fall out and shatter everywhere, and Isaac tries to help me but the glass overtakes him too, and the same thing happens to everyone who tries to save us and then the house explodes!”  Stiles finishes her rant with both her arms thrown out wide, looking at Derek like he’s the unreasonable one in this scenario. He raises both eyebrows at her.

“Why’d the house explode?” Stiles flails

“Because I left the stove on and gas was filling the room and Jackson, while tragically stuck in the glass with us, decided to light a cigarette and boom!”

“Jackson doesn’t smoke.”

“Not _yet_ he doesn’t, but being trapped in glass changes a person Derek, c _hanges them._ And all of this! All of it! Happens because you refused to clean up glass.” Derek can feel the smile reluctantly stretching across his face.

“You’re ridiculous, Stiles.” Stiles sticks her tongue out.

“Your _face_ is ridiculous.” Derek lets out a fake put upon sigh before raising his hands in surrender.

“Alright Stiles, you win. In the future, when you break things, I’ll clean it up if only to keep the house from exploding. Deal?” Stiles beams and snatches up his hand and shakes it.

“Deal! No take backs!” Derek fakes hurt

“I would _never._ So before you went around breaking things, what was your brilliant plan of what to do today?”

“Bet your ass my plans are brilliant, but actually I was just going to suggest seeing a movie?” Derek hasn’t actually gone to the movies in months, but he would watch paint dry if it meant spending the day with Stiles.

“Sure.” Stiles beams and hops off the counter as Derek cleans the last of the glass up.

“Do you care what we see?” Derek shrugs noncommittally.

“Not really, whatever you chose will be good.” Stiles face breaks out into a shit eating grin and Derek wonders what movie he’s just agreed to see.

_*_

When they get to the movie theater Stiles drags him to the ticket counter, asking for two tickets. The male cashier, upon hearing the title of the movie, shifts to look at Derek, eyeing him questioningly. Stiles doesn’t seem to notice and pays for the tickets, excitedly grabbing Derek’s hand to pull him to the concessions.

The theater is pretty sparsely filled and Derek notices it’s mostly filled with teenage girls. Stiles settles down, massive bucket of popcorn in her lap.  Derek settles in next to her and listens to Stiles running commentary throughout the previews.

When the movie starts Stiles hushes, but instead of watching the screen, starts watching Derek. He can feel her eyes on him but keeps his eyes trained on the movie. It only takes Derek a few minutes to realize what movie Stiles has taken him to see. Derek feels reluctant laughter building up inside of him. He turns to Stiles who has a hand over her mouth shaking silently in laughter. Derek rolls his eyes at her. “You’re hilarious, really.” Derek deadpans. “Twilight?”

Stiles, still laughing, silently nods at Derek. “Really, and this is Breaking Dawn part II for your information. I thought you’d love to see a movie with werewolves in it you know, get close to your roots.”

“Yes my roots, teenage werewolves and vampires.”  Stiles goes back to watching the movie and occasionally lets out a laugh.

“Do you really like these movies?” Derek whispers to her.

“What, no. I haven’t been able to seriously like anything paranormal since I learned about everything supernatural. It’s hard to take anything seriously when all you want to do is laugh at inaccuracies. Now stop being all broody and laugh with me at their scary ass CGI child.” When they show the baby for the first time Derek laughs so hard they get kicked out of the theater.

_*_

They walk out of the theater, laughing, while Stiles flails “But what happens to the scary baby, Derek?! And Charlie! Poor Charlie! He’s the chief of police and his daughter is-“ Stiles stops, freezing in place.

“Holy shit.” She whispers to herself and Derek grabs her shoulders, searching her face.

“Stiles? What’s wrong? Stiles, are you ok?!” Stiles looks up and into Derek’s eyes, horror dawning across her face.

“I’m Bella Swan.” She whispers.

“What?” Derek must have misheard her.

“I’m fucking Bella Swan, Derek! Oh my gosh! My life has been a teen romance novel!” Stiles almost hits him with a waving arm and she starts pacing.

“Teenage werewolves and vampires! They might not be your roots, but they’re mine! My pack was literally a group of teenage werewolves! Her dad is the chief of police and doesn’t know the truth! My dad’s the sheriff!” Derek’s biting his lip to keep from laughing as Stiles continues.

“All I need is a vampire and boom! My life is Bella’s! Don’t let me fall in love with a vampire, Derek! I’ve fought them before and they smell horrible!” Derek can’t help it; he bursts out laughing. Stiles makes an indignant noise and Derek looks at her only to start laughing again.

Derek grabs Stiles hand, pulling her down the street. He pulls her into the first bookstore he sees and drags her toward the young adult section looking for the book he wants. When he finds it he snatches it up and drags them through the store, looking for somewhere to sit. He finds a recliner but the rest of the reading places are taken.  After a moment of deliberation he sits in it and pulls Stiles down into the chair with him.

Stiles squawks as she falls into his lap and starts to protest but stops when Derek moves around, rearranging them so she sits between his legs, leaning back against his chest with the recliner pulled back slightly so they can prop their feet up.

“What exactly are we doing, Derek?” He waves the book he grabbed in front of her face - Breaking Dawn.

“We’re going to read this so you can know what happens and so you can get it out of your head that you’re Bella Swan.” Stiles laughs a little before settling more firmly against his chest and letting him open the book, holding it to where they can both read from it.

Derek’s wolf is rumbling contently with Stiles against his chest as they read. They’re opened to the back of the book having decided to just read the last few chapters. Stiles was right; it’s hard to take anything seriously when you know the truth. He finds himself laughing with Stiles as they read about the things that the book got wrong.

They’ve been reading for half an hour when a shadow falls over them. Derek feels Stiles tense against him and looks up. Staring down at them is the Sheriff looking incredibly amused.  Stiles squeaks out “Dad! What are you doing here?!” but the Sheriff ignores her question, tilting his head toward Derek.

“So Stiles, who’s your friend?”

“Uh dad, this is Derek?”

“Hi Derek, I’m Stiles father. Sheriff Stilinski.”

“Oh uh, hello, Sheriff. It’s nice to meet you.”     

“I just heard the strangest thing, Stiles. Want to know what it is?”

“No?” Stiles voice is high and tight.

“I heard that my daughter was seen being kicked out of the movie theater with a strange man.” Derek can feel his face heating and considers hiding his face in Stiles shoulder.

“Wow that is weiiirrd dad.” Stiles fake laughs a few times.

“Well, I thought so too, but it’s not near as weird as me finding said daughter in the lap of a stranger in public.” Stiles lets out a shocked “Dad!” While Derek sputters.

“S-sir I- it’s not!” The sheriff starts laughing and Derek is very confused.

“I’m just messing with you, son.” Derek breathes out a sigh of relief and the Sheriff moves to get a look at what they’re reading.

“Breaking Dawn?” The Sheriff raises an eyebrow at Derek.

“It’s uh, too complicated to explain, sir.” Derek actually hides his face in Stiles shoulder this time as she laughs.

“I’m not judging, to each their own.” Derek peaks up from his place hiding behind Stiles and the Sheriff is smiling widely down at them.

“Well, I have to go back to work but I expect you for dinner at least once this week. You too, Derek, if you want. I can tell you about all the stunts Stiles pulled growing up.” Derek grins.

“I’d like that very much, sir.” Stiles gasps.

“Dad, I’m your own blood! How could you betray me so?!” The Sheriff just rolls his eyes and leans down to kiss Stiles’ forehead.

“See you later Stiles, hopefully you too Derek.”

Derek decides the likes the Sheriff.

Even if he’s confused as to whether he should be grateful or concerned at the Sheriff’s reaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone be grateful for Kapisj who betas this fic.  
> Find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com  
> The new chapter will be up next Saturday.


	18. Chapter 18

They’re heading out of the bookstore when Stiles’ phone starts ringing. It’s Allison; her dad has a lead on Gerard that he wants to check out with Stiles.

“Derek and I are on the way.” There’s an awkward pause on Allison’s end.

“Dad says he can’t tell me where you and he are going, but that it’s high risk to bring Derek…” Stiles sighs and looks at Derek.

“I’ll work something out, be there soon. Bye Allison.” Stiles puts her phone away with a stressed look on her face.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t risk you coming along. I need to go ahead and go meet Chris. Do you mind waiting here for Isaac to come pick you up?”

“It’s fine. But Stiles, are you sure you should be going if Chris won’t even tell Allison where it is?” 

“It’s a lead Derek; I have no choice either way. And Chris, well, Chris hasn’t always been the good person he is and sometimes, when necessary, he has to dreg up things from the darker part of his past. He doesn’t like Allison knowing about any of it, so he does what he can to keep that information between as few people as possible.” Derek hesitates before nodding slowly

“Better go ahead and call Isaac so you can get going.” 

“Are you sure?” Derek rolls his eyes.

“Go Stiles, I’ll be fine.” Stiles nods before starting to head to the car.

“Ok, I’ll send Isaac your way, he’ll be here soon. See you at dinner.” 

Isaac pulls up ten minutes later. When Derek gets in the car he turns to Isaac. “Hey, how do you feel about a change of dishware?”

_*_

It takes him and Isaac two hours to change everything out but Derek thinks it will be worth it. It helped that Isaac just agreed to help without needing an explanation further than “Stiles seemed stressed.” 

Jackson and Derek have just finished making dinner when Stiles and Allison arrive. Stiles, with a crease of frustration between her eyes, and a slump in her shoulders. Derek doesn’t like seeing her like this. He hasn’t seen her like this before. He’s seen the Stiles that flails about and is a bundle of energy and he’s seen the part of Stiles that makes her an Alpha, fierce, in control, a force to be reckoned with. This isn’t Stiles. She’s giving into the stress of not knowing where Gerard is. The threat of his presence is pulling her down.

Isaac finishes setting the table and Derek nods to him. “Dinner’s ready!” Isaac yells even though it’s completely unnecessary in a house full of werewolves. 

The twins and Scott comes rushing into the kitchen, bolting for the table to eat, while Allison, Lydia, Stiles and Danny walk in behind them at a much more leisurely pace. Jackson and Derek put the food on the table and everyone goes to dig in.  
Derek tries to discreetly watch Stiles. She picks up her plate then pauses, looking down at it and frowning, she looks at the rest of the dishes around the table before standing up and walking over to the cabinets. She opens them and grabs a cup before dropping it on the floor. It bounces making tinkling noises. Stiles promptly bursts out laughing. Derek grins as Scott pipes up from beside him at the table. “Am I missing something?” Stiles, between laughs, manages to get out.

“Plastic!” 

Everyone looks down at their plates and glasses. 

“Huh,” says Ethan. “They are plastic.” 

Scott scrunches his face up. “I don’t get it.”

Stiles, calming down, looks to Derek, radiating happiness, his wolf preens. “Ok, you win this one, sourwolf. Ten points to Wolfindor.” 

“We still don’t get it!” Jackson says as he stares at the plates with an intensity that could burn holes through it.

Derek turns to Jackson with the most serious face he can muster and says; “I just saved you from a smoking addiction.” 

Derek and Stiles are the only ones laughing while everyone around the table looks confused.

Danny sighs. “Just let it go, guys. It probably wouldn’t make sense even with an explanation.” 

The pact digs in trying to ignore Stiles and Derek sniggers.

_*_

“I don’t like it.” Everyone turns to look at Lydia.

“Well, I’ll be more than glad to finish your breakfa-“ Jackson cuffs Scott in the back of the head.

“She’s not talking about her food, you doughnut.” Scott huffs and goes back to eating his own breakfast.

“What’s wrong Lydia?” Derek asks genuinely concerned. 

“Gerard, his last attack while not long ago, was small. It was too small, one hunter with some arrows? Maybe if there had been a larger attack the next day while our defenses were down, that would make sense, but this? I don’t get it at all.” 

“Way to be a ray of sunshine, Lydia.” Stiles sighs. “She has a point, though, we need to be more on guard than usual. Don’t give him a chance to slip in.” Everyone nods and Stiles plasters on a smile, trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere.

“So, who wants the last piece of bacon?” 

Scott and Aiden wrestle for it.

_*_

It’s been two days since Lydia’s warning at breakfast. Everyone’s been on guard, but nothing’s happened yet. 

Derek is in a clearing in the woods with Isaac tossing around a baseball. After they did it the first time a few days ago they decided to make it a regular thing. Derek likes spending time with Isaac and this is a good way to do it.

They’re talking about what movie to watch with the pack tonight when Derek senses him. He doesn’t bother trying to catch the ball Isaac’s just thrown to him or explain, he just runs. 

He can’t be here, Derek thinks. He shouldn’t be anywhere near here. It can’t be him. 

Derek runs harder.

It doesn’t take long until Isaac is running beside him, not even bothering to ask what’s happening, just nodding at him in solidarity. 

They burst into the back yard and Derek can smell him. He hears growling and runs around to the front of the house.   
Ethan and Aiden are shifted, fused together holding another wolf up in the air by his throat. Stiles is on the porch, eyes white, holding her staff. “State your business.” The wolf smiles at her before flicking his eyes to where Derek and Isaac are off to the side.

“Hello, nephew.” 

Everyone turns to Derek as he storms over to Peter, snarling in his face. “What do you think you’re doing?” Peter chuckles.

“Why, I’m hurt. This is the greeting I get?” Derek is shaking in barely contained anger. The audacity of Peter to come anywhere near Stiles and her pack, it makes his wolf seethe. 

“Does my mother know you’re here?” Peter pouts

“Don’t be so dull, nephew. Of course she doesn’t.” Derek nearly tears a hole in his jeans in his haste to get out his phone. He’s very aware of Stiles on the porch observing the whole thing; he needs to get her away from Peter. Every instinct in him is screaming to hide her away, but he can’t without it seem like he’s challenging her authority. The phone only rings twice before his mother picks up.

“Derek now’s not a good time Peter’s-“ he cuts his mother off “Here, Peter’s here.” Derek’s mother’s voice gets strained.

“Put. Him. On.” Derek hands the phone over to Peter who’s still being used as a ragdoll by the twins.

He can hear his mother yelling at Peter; “What do you think you’re doing?!” Peter grins even though she can’t see him.

“Why, Talia, I was just wanting to get to know more about the little pack Derek’s surrounded himself with. What’s wrong about that?” 

“You.” Talia growls “Will get on the next flight back.” Peter takes a breath in through his teeth.

“Would if I could, but the next flight back isn’t until tomorrow night and the full moon is in three days. Being on a plane in such an enclosed space in my condition without my pack to anchor me? Well that could cause some unfortunate things to happen, couldn’t it, Alpha of mine.” Talia snarls  
.  
“Put Alpha Stilinksi on.” Peter grins looking at Stiles.

“It for you.” He holds the phone out and Derek snatches the phone tossing it to Stiles so she won’t get any closer to Peter. 

Stiles catches the phone and uses her staff to draw a circle around herself much like the one she drew around Derek the night they were attacked in the club. She mumbles something in what Derek thinks is Latin and a light flares around the circle before going out. Peter’s grin vanishes when he realizes what she’s done. 

They can still see her, see her talking on the phone, but they can’t hear her. No sound can travel outside the circle she’s drawn around herself. 

Peter looks to the massive conjoined Alphas holding him up. “You can put me down now.” They glance at Stiles and look back to him.

“We’re good.” 

When Stiles finishes her phone call she uses her staff to break the circle and walks down the porch stairs, throwing Derek’s phone back to him. She stops in front of Peter.

“You will be staying in a hotel. You will report here every day at 8:00 am sharp and stay out of trouble. The night of the full moon your Alpha wishes you run with Derek separately from our pack. The morning after, you are to get on a plane to New York and not come back. If you step one toe out of line I will not hesitate to take you down and have in fact been given permission to do such by your Alpha. Are we clear?” Peter’s grin is bordering in feral.

“Crystal.” 

Stiles nods to the twins and they drop Peter. They separate and both glare at Peter threateningly. Derek turns to Stiles. “I’m going to take Peter to his hotel.” Stiles’ lips thin and she nods.

“Come on.” He snaps at Peter and starts walking towards a hotel not far from the house. He’d ask to borrow a car, but he doesn’t actually want Peter near anything of the packs, doesn’t want him soiling their things with his scent. 

“Oh come on, me and you finally get to run together again. It will be so much fun, nephew.” Derek disagrees entirely, the only reason Peter is even running with him is a last ditch attempt to give him something to try to anchor to. Peter’s unstable, he’d be unstable too, though, if he killed – Peter cuts his thoughts off. “Your new pack seems adorable, Derek, really.”

Derek grunts and keeps walking. “They aren’t my pack and you haven’t even actually met any pack members.” As soon as he says it he wants to take it back.

“Oh? So those Alphas aren’t pack? Interesting.” Peter’s grin gets sharp. “And you’re wrong nephew, you are pack. You reek of them; it doesn’t matter if you don’t think you’re pack, they do.” 

Derek gets hit with a wave of realization. Jackson’s unnecessarily long tackles, Scott washing his clothes, the girl’s hugs, and Isaac. They’ve been scent marking him! He feels a grin break out across his face. His wolf is yipping happily. He’s so stupid! How had he not noticed! He supposes it probably has to do with the fact he hasn’t been around his pack for prolonged periods of time since he graduated college and started traveling nine years ago.

“Careful, nephew, one might think you want to be part of their pack.” Derek is suddenly hit with a wave of guilt at the thought of his family, but Peter starts speaking again.

“Don’t worry about your poor mother’s feelings; she’s been expecting it since they took you in.” Derek clears his throat.  
“We’re here. Go in and stay there until you’re supposed to come over tomorrow. If you hurt anyone-“ Peter rolls his eyes.

“Let me guess? You’ll rip my throat out with your teeth?” Derek smirks.

“No, my Alpha will.” Calling Stiles his Alpha feels good, right. He spins on his heels and starts walking home, to his pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Peter has been thrown into the fray now.  
> All the awards go to Kapisj who betas this fic.  
> Find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> As always the new chapter will be up next Saturday.


	19. Chapter 19

When Derek gets back to the house the pack is in the living room. Jackson wordlessly points to the kitchen. Derek can see Stiles through the doorway cutting vegetables. Judging by how hard she’s chopping and the tension in her shoulders, she isn’t happy.

Derek walks into the kitchen and lays a hand on Stiles shoulder; she jumps before relaxing under the touch. “Hey, you ok?” Stiles turns around and leans against the island crossing her arms over her chest.

“Me? Oh I’m peachy, especially after the lovely chat I had with Talia earlier.” Derek makes a face at that. Talia? Stiles seems to realize her mistake because her eyes go wide and she quickly corrects herself “I meant Alpha Hale!” Derek gives her an assessing look but Stiles is turning around going back to furiously chopping vegetables.

“You want to know what she said? She said that Peter wasn’t to be trusted, and that I needed to be careful because he was a threat to your life. Care to elaborate on that? Or the fact you have to run with him because he has no anchor.” Derek sighs

“It’s complicated. Don’t trust him though; I don’t want anyone alone with him. I have to run with him because of the pack bond we share. It’s weak and practically non-existent but it’s the only option we have to try to keep him from going feral on the full moon.” Stiles is making an incredulous face at him.

“You could be killed!” yelling the last part, she clenches her eyes shut and waves a hand at Derek. “Go. We’ll all talk at dinner. I need to finish cooking.” Derek reluctantly leaves.

Jackson gets up when he enters nodding at him as he passes going to presumably help Stiles and probably calm her down. Derek joins Isaac and Lydia on the couch and tries to distract himself by reading.

It doesn’t work. 

When they sit down at dinner Stiles is studiously avoiding Derek’s gaze. Derek notices the twins and Danny aren’t eating with them tonight. Small miracles, Derek probably wouldn’t be able to handle Ethan at the moment. Jackson runs down what’s happening instead of Stiles who continues to remain silent. When Jackson finishes talking Scott throws his hands up “Can we stop pretending we didn’t hear what Stiles said earlier and yell at Derek now?!” There’s a beat of silence before the table explodes in noise and everyone starts talking at once. Derek slams his hand down on the table and everyone quiets down.

“One at a time!”

Scott leans forward.

“Stiles said something about you getting killed, what’s that about?” Derek sighs

“Peter is off… he doesn’t have an anchor and I don’t want him near you guys during the full moon, his wolf is… volatile.” Isaac makes an angered noise and Derek looks to him.

“So you want to run alone with him? He could attack you!” 

“He probably will. His wolf hates me on a very primal level. I’m only slightly better than him being alone because I have a chance of anchoring him.” 

Lydia looks ready to strangle him, Allison clutching her fork tightly turns to him “And if he kills you?!”

“I should be ok. Really, he hasn’t successfully killed me yet so-“

“He’s tried to kill you before?!” Isaac is practically screeching

“It was only twice, It was years ago after the fire and- it- it was a long time ago.”

Everyone seems ready to throttle him. Derek looks to Stiles who’s been suspiciously quiet. Her eyes have fogged over white and her silver ware and plate are floating. She has a white knuckled grip on the table like she’s trying to ground herself. Derek cautiously reaches a hand over and places it over hers where she’s gripping the table.

“Stiles?” Her things drop and she whips her head to him, for a second he swears her eyes flash blue before it’s gone and her eyes are back to their amber brown.

“Are you ok?” 

“Fine.” She says it like she’s pulling teeth. “I want everyone to keep on their toes the next few days ok?” the pack nods and Stiles pushes away from the table “You guys finish eating. I’m going to go lay down” 

Derek goes to reach for her but she’s already left.

…………………………….

Derek’s standing in the doorway arms crossed staring at Peter. “Don’t cause any trouble.” Peter clutches his chest.

“Me? Why I’d never nephew. Now let me meet this pack that you’re so enamored with.” Derek reluctantly opens the door wider so Peter can pass.

The sight of Peter in the kitchen with the pack sets his wolf on edge. Derek positions himself between Stiles and Peter. 

“So you must be the Red pack.” Peter grins at them as they eat breakfast around the table.

“Stilinksi” Isaac corrects without looking up.

“Oh you were with Derek yesterday weren’t you? What’s your name pup?” Isaac makes a strangled noise at Peter calling him pup and looks up at him.

“Isaac.” 

Peter grins and reaches a hand across the table for Isaac to shake. “Nice to meet you Isaac, I’m Peter.” Isaac stares at the hand then looks to Peter and raises both eyebrows. Isaac continues to stare at Peter with what is the bitchiest face Derek’s ever seen him dawn. Derek turns around to muffle his laughs in his hand so Peter won’t notice.

Peter after a minute gives up his grin turning into something much nastier. “Alpha is this how you let your pack treat guests?” Stiles for the first time since he entered, looks at Peter.

“This is how I allow my pack to treat reckless betas without anchors that travel before the full moon and put an entire town at risk.” Peter snarls at Stiles and while she’s unaffected Derek’s wolf howls in furry.

Derek slams Peter against the kitchen island before he can process what he’s doing. “Don’t.” He growls in Peters face. Peter looks from Stiles to Derek and starts laughing hysterically.

The entire pack is tense ready to fight. Derek slowly releases his hold on Peter who straightens and smooth’s his shirt down. “Well this is going to be fun.” Peter says as the pack eyes him. 

Derek after taking a few breaths turns to address the table of people “He’s going to be here till after the full moon. We all have to play nice, even if you don’t like him.” Peter starts to protest and Derek turns to him “And you behave. Are we clear?” He’s addressing the whole kitchen with the last part, there’s silence. “I said- are we clear?” The betas and Peter answer affirmatively and Stiles points to a chair in the corner of the room.

“Peter you can pull that up to the table and join us.” 

Breakfast goes semi smoothly after that. The betas and Stiles clearly don’t like Peter because he poses a threat to Derek with the full moon so close but they try to be civil. Derek appreciates the effort.

…………………………..

The pack is restless all day with the pull of the moon growing stronger. It doesn’t help that Peter has to spend all day with them to keep him out of trouble. Stiles fed up with everyone being so jittery, tells them all to get ready and that they’re going to go play baseball. 

On the walk to the field through the woods Derek bumps Stile’s shoulder “Baseball in the woods? You know what that sounds like?” Stiles groans and puts her hands in her face. 

“I’m not Bella! You all just need something to do to get the aggression out and baseball is only option that makes it ok for the humans to play too. This was not chosen out of some twisted likeness to Bella Swan! You were the one who told me I wasn’t her!” Derek laughs and Stiles flips him off before running up behind Isaac and jumping on his back. 

Jackson falls into step with Derek right as Stiles yells to Peter that if any vampires show up she’s feeding them to him. Peter turns and looks to Derek with the most confused look Derek’s ever seen on his face. Derek almost chokes on his own spit laughing. 

Jackson pats his back a few times. “Breathe man.” They reach the empty field and Jackson grins at Derek. “You’re on my team.” 

As it turns out Stiles and Jackson are always the team captains and they’re incredibly competitive when it comes to almost anything the pack plays together. It’s only been made worse by the player additions of the twins and Danny.

When Jackson wins the coin toss and picks Derek first Stiles gapes at Jackson who grins smugly back. Stiles turns to the twins and makes an odd hand motion. They shed their shirts and meld into their Alpha form. Stiles picks them and gives Jackson a fierce grin. Jackson sputters and yells about cheating which leads to a ten minute debate on the rules, which ends in Jackson getting to pick two people on his next turn.

The teams are Jackson, Derek, Danny, Allison, and Isaac against Stiles, the twins, Lydia, and Scott. Peter decides to play referee which was more than ok with the pack.

The game is close and Derek can’t believe half the trash talk he hears the pack throw at each other. They’re apparently the most competitive people on the planet. Derek’s pretty sure Peter made the wrong call a few times just to watch half the pack start shouting expletives.

In the end Stiles team wins and Jackson grumbles for about five minutes until Stiles agrees to a rematch later in the week. They spend the rest of the afternoon running around the field goofing off. It would be a perfect day if Derek could fully relax. He can’t though. He’s constantly tracking Peter with his eyes making sure he doesn’t do anything wrong. Making sure he doesn’t get too close to Stiles. Peters actually been remarkably well behaved.

Derek feels put off by it. 

When the sun starts to set they head back to the house, Peter leaves after dinner along with the twins and Danny and the pack puts in a movie. They end up sleeping piled together on the floor.

……………………………

The next morning when Peter shows up Derek leads him into the living room and smiles at the pack still lying across living room floor except now instead of sleeping they’re talking and laughing. Derek turns to Peter only to find him gone. Derek can hear him speaking in the kitchen and storms in just as Peter leans in close to Stiles “Oh is there something on your neck?” Peter reaches a hand out and just as his fingertips brush her neck, his hand is being ripped away and pinned to the cutting board with a knife. 

Stiles is pressing down on the knife “I will lace your coffee with wolfsbane if you ever try touch me again.” Derek would gladly do that to Peter but he can’t stop staring at Stiles neck where Peter’s fingers brushed. His wolf is thrashing, how dare he touch his Stiles? Touch her neck. Derek feels an intense need to go and cover her neck with his scent, get rid of Peter’s, no matter how miniscule the trace is. Derek tears his gaze away from Stiles neck to Peter who’s removed his hand from the chopping board and is now grinning at Derek. 

Derek only has a second to wonder what Peter’s getting at before Stiles is speaking to him “Hey Derek give me your hand.” Derek doesn’t question her and just sticks his hand out gaze drawn back to her neck. Suddenly his hand is on her throat as she moves it around. Derek lets out a truly embarrassing sound that he’s going to pretend Peter didn’t hear. He’s touching her throat. She smiles at him and drops his hand “Sorry, but Peter said there was something there and if that was the case I didn’t want to wipe off the gunk with my own hands.” Derek just nods dumbly at her missing the skip in her heartbeat.

“I-I’ll just make some coffee.” Stiles smiles and nods at him.

“Coffee’s good.” Derek doesn’t even notice when Peter slips out of the kitchen.

………………………………….

The day isn’t spent in nearly as nice of a fashion as the day before. Lydia got called into work and Stiles ends up having to go track down some odd lead with Chris. Allison absconds with Scott after lunch while Ethan and Danny decided to go visit some old friends. 

Derek actually likes Aiden and they talk about their cars while Jackson and Isaac play video games. Derek should have been paying more attention to what Peter was doing because he hears Peter say “What’s this?” right before he and Jackson go hurdling into walls. 

Jackson yells from his place on the floor “Dammit Isaac! That got me too!” Peter is groaning on the floor and Derek looks to Isaac.

“What happened?!” Isaac scratches the back of his neck awkwardly and starts to speak when his phone starts ringing her mouths ‘sorry’ at Derek before answering. It’s Stiles.

“Isaac? Why did I feel your charm activate?!” 

“I’m sorry! Me and Jackson were on the Xbox and Peter walked up behind me and touched my charm and spoke like directly into my ear! It was creepy and I freaked out a little and activated it!” Stiles sighs

“I’m glad everything’s ok. Just don’t activate again unless it’s a real emergency.” Isaac nods and when he realizes Stiles can’t actually see him says “Yes mom.” Derek thinks he’s being sarcastic for a second and is shocked at such a rude action until he hears Stiles reply. 

“Stop buttering me up Pup, you don’t need to. I’m not angry I was just worried.” When they hang up Isaac helps Jackson off the ground and apologizes. Isaac doesn’t apologize to Peter; he just stares at him for a long time before tapping his necklace in a threatening manner.  
…………………….

Dinner is unremarkable and filled with thinly veiled insults between Peter and the pack. When Peter goes to leave he turns to Stiles “You really would do anything for your pack wouldn’t you?” Stiles looks hard at Peter before slowly nodding. Peter grins and winks at Derek before leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million points to Kapisj who betas this fic.  
> Find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/  
> As always the new chapter will be up next Saturday


	20. Chapter 20

Everyone is on the edge today. Derek knows it’s because they’re worried about him. They’ve been watching Peter like a hawk, waiting for any sign of trouble from him. 

When the sun begins to set everyone starts to get ready. It makes Derek feel better knowing that Lydia, Allison and Danny will be safe in the house during the run and that the rest of the pack will be together with Stiles in wolf form to lead them running through a different area than he and Peter. 

Derek can see Peter getting restless, see the wolf underneath the surface prowling around and decides to head out early. When he tells Stiles that he and Peter are leaving for their run she closes the distance between them and pulls him into a tight hug with the rest of the pack joining in. When they pull away, Stiles kisses his forehead and looks him in the eyes with a serious face. “Be careful tonight.” He nods before shifting into his beta form and taking off into the woods with Peter.

The run is going smoothly so far; Derek’s surprised at how grounded Peter seems. He hasn’t even tried to take a swipe at him yet. It’s an hour into the run and Derek’s starting to relax when he realizes Peter is gone. He’s just disappeared. Derek starts to look around, trying to track Peter, but he’s distracted when a wolf flies by him and skids to a stop a few feet away. He recognizes the wolf immediately- Stiles. 

She shifts back to her human form, seemingly unbothered by her own nakedness as she runs to him looking him over. “Are you ok?! Where’s Peter?”

“Of course I’m ok, why are you here?” 

“I felt your charm activate!” Derek gives her a confused look.

“I didn't activate it…” Suddenly Stiles is whipping her head around towards the north.  
“Isaac!” She spins again towards the south where the house is “Lydia!” 

“Stiles, what’s happening?!” 

“All the charms are activating! Go to the house and protect Lydia, Allison and Danny! I’m going after the boys!” Before Derek can say anything Stiles is shifted back into her wolf form and taking off through the forest.

Derek tears through the trees towards the house. He bursts through the tree line and into the backyard, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight before him. 

The entire pack is in the back yard.

“Oh, thank God Derek! Wait! Where’s Stiles?! Where’s Stiles, Derek? She went for you!” Jackson’s growing frantic and Derek tries to explain through the growing panic in his own chest.

“All the charms were activating, so she sent me here to check on the girls and Danny and went running after you guys!”  
“We haven’t activated our charms, Derek!” Scott is pacing fully wolfed out.

“Then who di-“ Derek’s cut off by a blood curdling scream.

Derek is fully shifted into his wolf form and running full speed towards the scream. His wolf is going crazy, yelling a constant chant of matehurtfindmateprotectmate. When the scent of blood hits his nose he lets out a vicious roar and bursts into the clearing they had played baseball in only a few days ago. 

Before he realizes what’s happening, a shower of purple powder is falling on him.

Wolfsbane. 

Derek’s last conscious thought is the realization of what his wolf had been chanting; Mate. Stiles is his mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I may be slightly evil- like a smidgen. But hey I can promise that I will never post a chapter this short on this fic again. That may have to do with the fact that only two chapters are left... 
> 
> Roaring applause for kapisj who betas this fic. Seriously like all the awards and applause for her.
> 
> Come tell me what you think and or yell at me about this fic on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> As always the new chapter will be up next Saturday.


	21. Chapter 21

Stiles wakes up tied to a chair. She’s wearing a paper-thin gown and she can feel eyes on her. Stiles fights to raise her head, managing to bring it up far enough to see Gerard staring at her with a manic look in his eye.

He walks slowly over to her with the aid of a prosthetic leg acting replacement to the one Jackson took from him. Gerard crouches in front of her, breath fanning over her face and curling his mouth up into a cruel grin. Stiles sneers back before he reaches around her and plunges a needle into the side of her neck.

_Damn_ , Stiles thinks as the world starts to go black; Derek’s going to be pissed.

 

_*_

 

Derek startles awake, chest heaving. He frantically looks around, assessing the situation. He’s chained up; wires are taped onto his torso and run from him to a battery a few feet away on a table. He’s been put in pants presumably for modesty. Derek strains his ears searching for something, anything, to give away where he is. The dead silence he’s met with is unsettling.

Derek spends fifty minutes pulling at the chains trying to get free.

Fifty minutes of berating himself for not noticing that Stiles was his mate.

Fifty minutes of hating himself for letting her get taken.

Fifty minutes and finally, someone opens the door to where he’s being held and a cacophony of sound reaches his ears before being cut off again when the door closes.

Peter enters the room and Derek lunges forward, restraints cutting into his skin as he growls.

“Why hello, nephew.” Peter drawls.

Derek growls louder.

“Well, let’s just cut to the chase, Derek, if you aren’t going to be any fun.” Peter takes his time walking around the room, running his fingers over the battery Derek is hooked up to slowly. “I’m not going to kill you.” Derek raises both eyebrows and Peter continues.

“I’m going to kill your mate, in front of you.” Derek roars and thrashes in his chains.

“Don’t you touch her! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you, Peter!” Peter lets a twisted smile show.

“So, I see her being taken made you realize that little Stiles is indeed your mate. Tricky thing mate bonds, they sneak up on you. I understand how you didn’t know. Most people don’t know the signs to look for and even when they do, it’s always harder to tell when it involves yourself.” Derek is growling lowly in his throat.

“You want to know how I knew, nephew?” Peter looks into Derek’s eyes and whispers “I knew before I even saw you with her.”

He spins on his foot, his back now to Derek as he walks across the room before clapping his hands together. “But that’s for later.” Peter leans against the wall, giving Derek a smug grin “No, I knew. I knew when you slammed me into the kitchen counter for snarling at her, and I knew when I touched her neck. Smart girl, though, got rid of my scent right away to soothe you. I knew and I saw. I saw it all.” Derek spits at Peter, causing the man to chuckle.

“Oh, don’t be sour. You didn’t know before it was too late. For you it was, what? A pull to be near her? Spend time with her? You listen to her heartbeat and it calms you? That’s the point of the mate bond, subtle at times, but strong enough to bring you together and to strengthen the bond. That’s the danger; it’s so faint at first.” Peter trails off, face looking anguished, before turning to Derek snarling.

“Want to know how it’ll feel when she dies?” Derek roars but Peter just raises his voice, yelling over it. “Like your soul is being split in two and ripped from your body! My bond hadn’t even developed yet, I wonder what it will feel like for you?!” Peter turns and opens the door again and the sound of Stiles heartbeat fills his ears.

Gerard rolls Stiles in. She’s strapped to a table unconscious. Derek looks to Peter, yelling in outrage “You’re working with an Argent!” Gerard chuckles.

“He wasn’t at first, no. I just wanted revenge for Kate and then Little Red here stepped in, stupid pack bitch.” Derek growls in warning

“I was coming up with a new plan of attack when Peter contacted me. Surprise, surprise the little whore’s your mate.

Suddenly I had a new plan and partner. She’ll wake up soon enough and when she does, you can watch her die before we kill you.” Derek lets out an ear-shattering roar.

“I didn’t even kill Kate - Peter did!” Derek is screaming in anger. Peter smirks as Gerard slaps Derek across the face.

“Don’t lie to me, mongrel.” Derek goes to protest, but Peter and Gerard make their way out of the room, slamming the door behind them.

Derek slumps and calls out to Stiles.

She doesn’t answer.

It takes twenty minutes before Stile starts to stir. Derek lifts his head. “Stiles?! Stiles are you okay?”  
“-rek?” Stiles turns her head to the side so she can see him.

“Yeah, yeah Stiles, it’s me.” Derek tries to make his tone soothing. Stiles jerks in her restraints and he can smell a wave of panic roll off of her.

“Gerard!” She starts, but Derek shushes her.

“I know. He and Peter are working together, I’m sorry. This is all my fault.” Derek shakes his head to himself. “All my fault.”  
“Derek, why would this be your fault?” Stiles looks at him concerned. “They’re crazy; I’d hardly say you made them that way.” Derek shakes his head and looks away from Stiles.

“But I did, Stiles. The fire was my fault. It made Peter go mad then he killed-he-he—oh, my God, Stiles, it was all my fault! He killed Kate and it’s my fault because I trusted her!”

“Derek, you have to calm down. It’s not your fault.”

“It is. You don’t understand! Kate was Peter’s mate!” Stiles falls silent. “He killed his own mate because of a mistake I made!”  
“What?” Stiles whispers.

“He didn’t know. He didn’t know she was his mate until it was too late. Until after he had slit her throat and he felt like his soul had been torn away and ripped to shreds. Killing his own mate made him go crazy and it’s because of me. Now he’s going to kill you because you’re my mate and this isn’t how I would have wanted you to find out we were mates!”

“Derek, it wasn’t your fault.” Stiles stares up at him with sympathetic eyes. “What happened to Peter is awful, but you can’t be blamed. And Derek, I already knew.”

“What do you mean you already knew?” Derek feels like he’s been playing chess without any of the actual pieces.

“Now isn’t really the time for that discussion. Derek, listen, the pack will find us soon and we need to get out of here so we can fight.”

“I can’t shift, Stiles, and I’m guessing Gerard cut you off from your magic or else you wouldn’t be lying there.”

“Right, he cut _me_ off.”

“What do you mean by that?” Stiles grins.

“You didn’t realize I was your mate as easily because you were missing the signs, signs which are a bit different when your mate’s a witch. It doesn’t actually happen often but most of the signs are common enough knowledge like dreams. Then there’s the less widely known spectrum of signs and perks that come with the bond, like the sharing of powers. Derek, I need you to listen. The day when you stopped Isaac from landing on me you didn’t activate my charm. You saw me in danger and your body acted instinctively and tapped into our developing bond and used my magic to repel him. I can do the same with your wolf. We might be cut off from one thing, but not both; they can’t get rid of our bond so long as we’re both living. Derek, it is easy, you don’t need to say any special words or anything, just believe. Focus on the locks on your hands. Focus on them opening, believe that they’ll open, imagine them falling off. Now, do you feel something warm in your chest building?” Derek nods.

“Good, reach into that. Now try snapping your fingers or flicking your wrist.” Derek snaps and the restraints drop away. Stiles breathes a sigh of relief.

“You’re a natural. It took me months to learn how to do that. Then again, I was nine and hadn’t started Adderall yet. Now, come get me off this thing.” As Derek cuts the last restraint away there’s a vibration in the walls. Stiles sits up and grins.

“They’re here.”

They open the door and take off running with Derek leading them towards the sounds of fighting. Derek stops short, throwing an arm out to block Stiles. “What about you? You’re cut off from your magic! Will it be OK for you to fight?” Stiles eyes turn blue and she smiles revealing fangs.

“I have your wolfie powers on my side and you as my anchor. I’ll be more than OK.” She wiggles her now clawed hands.  
Derek shifts and runs into the fray with Stiles.

Derek does a quick head count - Peter and Gerard along with the help of some twenty odd hunters against him, Stiles, the pack, the twins and Danny.

Well, they could be up against worse odds.

Derek can see Jackson and Scott working together fighting Peter while Allison and Lydia keep Gerard distracted. Everyone else is making quick work incapacitating the hunters while trying to avoid causalities. Derek and Stiles nod at each other before Derek runs to Peter and Stiles runs to Gerard.

When Derek reaches Peter, Jackson and Scott wordlessly slip back, letting Derek take over. He and Peter circle each other slowly. Peter takes the first swipe, jumping out in an attempt to slash Derek across his chest. Derek catches the arm and uses his other to claw across Peter’s back. Peter howls in pain and brings his free arm around to hit Derek in the head, causing his grip on Peter’s arm slip and Peter to pull away.

They circle again before Derek dives toward Peter, tucking into a roll at the last second and coming up behind him, slashing the back of his knees. Peter drops to the ground and howls in pain. Peter kicks a clawed foot out and catches Derek’s feet, knocking him to the ground.

Derek rolls away from Peter and barely misses the swipe of claws aimed at him. Derek jumps to his feet and charges at Peter, who has also righted himself again. Derek manages to only graze Peter’s arm as the man twists out of his reach and claws down Derek’s side. Derek lets out a pained noise that catches Stiles’ attention, distracting her from her fight with Gerard.

Stiles abandons the fight, running to Derek’s side and throwing herself in front of him blocking the blow Peter was about to deliver to his chest. Stiles begins fighting Peter, trying to draw him away from Derek as his side stitched itself back together.  
In her distraction Gerard has circled around and is now sprinting towards Stiles, sword raised. Derek throws his hand out, feeling the warmth in his chest and drawing from it sending Gerard flying across the warehouse until a wall stops his path.

Derek storms across the length of the warehouse side still bleeding, holding his hand up and pinning Gerard to the wall. Derek doesn’t worry about the hunters around him as he walks through the fighting knowing the pack has his back. When he reaches Gerard he can feel Stiles magic flowing through him. Derek snarls in Gerard’s face as the old man laughs. “You and your little bi-“ Derek slashes his throat and lets Gerard’s lifeless body drop to the floor.

The sound of fighting has begun to taper off and when Derek turns around he can see the pack scattered across the warehouse, tying up the unconscious hunters and taking care of the few dead.

Derek sees Stiles and Peter viscously exchanging blows and starts to charge back into the fray of their fight when Derek’s eyes catch on Jackson in the shadows. Derek watches as Jackson charges at Peter from behind. Peter spins and catches Jackson claws around his throat. “Nice try, pup.” Jackson chokes on a laugh and Peter’s eyes widen, realizing his mistake just as Stiles´ clawed hand reaches across his neck from behind and slashes.

Stiles have blood covering her hands and she’s panting heavily, standing over Peter’s dead body as Jackson rubs his throat. She looks around the warehouse, checking on the pack while her eyes are scanning for Derek. When her eyes land on him she lets out a relieved sigh. “You’re all okay, that’s good.” Her eyes then roll into the back of her head as she plummets to the ground.

 

_*_

 

Stiles can feel herself drifting in and out of consciousness and can vaguely register the sound of someone howling.

  
_Derek._

She wants to reach out to him to soothe him, but she can’t. Jackson is yelling from somewhere close. “Derek! Derek you have to calm down! She’s fine! It’s just her magic coming back! We’ll take her to Deaton’s, you have to shift ba-“ Stiles fades back into unconsciousness as she feels rough hands cradling her face.

 

_*_

 

This time she’s in a car, or at least Stiles thinks she is. She’s pressed against someone. Derek. She knows it´s Derek. It could only be him. She presses her face more into his chest and she can feel him whimper at the action and clutch her tighter. She tries to reassure him she’s okay, but she can feel herself slipping again.

_*_

 

This time, when Stiles wakes up, she feels in control of her body. She opens her eyes slowly. She’s in her room back at home. Derek is in the chair beside her bed, holding her hand and she smiles. He’s still in the weird hospital like pants he had been in at the warehouse and they’re covered in blood from the fight. Stiles pulls her hand away to get out of bed and grab him clothes to change into, but as soon as her hand leaves his he makes a distressed noise. Stiles rubs his hand soothingly before crawling out of bed and heading towards his room. Despite being slightly unsteady on her feet she appears to be okay.

Stiles grabs him some pajamas, a bowl of warm water and a rag. She isn’t sure how she juggles it all, but she makes it back to the room and sets up camp around Derek.

She shakes him a little and he opens his eyes and looks at her confused. “Stiles?” She shushes him.

“It’s fine, Sourwolf. I need you to sit up so I can get the blood off you.” He sleepily complies and Stiles dips the rag in the water before wiping the blood off his chest. When she finishes, she hands him the pajamas she grabbed for him and climbs back into her bed.

Derek changes and goes to get back in his chair, but Stiles catches his hand, causing him to shoot her a confused look. Stiles pulls his hand towards the bed rolling her eyes. After a beat he crawls into the bed behind her and pulls her into his arms, burying his face in her hair before going back to sleep. Stiles smiles and snuggles into his warmth, slipping back out of consciousness also.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left...  
> Applause for Kapisj who betas this fic  
> The final chapter will be up next Saturday.  
> Find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


	22. Chapter 22

A smile work its way across Stiles’ face as she wakes up. Derek’s face is buried in the juncture between her neck and shoulder. Stiles can feel his chest rumbling and bites down on her lip to keep from laughing. Is he purring?

The purring stops.

“No.”

Derek sounds petulant and tightens his grip around her. Stiles curses herself for not realizing she was speaking out loud and turns towards him, pushing herself further into his arms.

“You were definitely purring.” She slides her fingers into his hair scratching at his scalp. “But it was _adorable_ , Derek, you’re like puppy!” Derek grumbles unhappily.

“M’not a puppy, Scott and Isaac are.” Derek is totally a puppy. Stiles keeps running her hands through his hair and a happy rumble escapes, Stiles grins victoriously.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that we need to talk,” Derek says. Stiles hands still in his hair and she swallows nervously.

“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”

“We’ll talk after breakfast. Come on, the pups will be glad you’re up.” And damn if Stiles heart didn’t skip a beat at him calling them the pups.

.*.

Stiles hugs Ethan one last time and casts a look to Aiden and Danny in the driveway. “You’re sure you guys can’t stay a few more days?”

“Stiles, we live two towns over. We can visit anytime, but we should get back home. Mrs. McCall is probably sick of seeing our faces anyway. ” Ethan kisses her forehead and joins Aiden and Danny.

Stiles watches them drive off and with a sigh closes the door. She turns around only to find Derek pining her with an amused look. “Time to have that talk.”

Derek leads her to the garage and Stiles stops. “Wait, where are we going?” Derek huffs and points to the passenger seat.

“Stiles, just get in the car.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know that this is my car, therefore I reserve the right to drive it.”

“I’ll let you drive the Camaro.” Stiles throws herself into the passenger seat. “Deal!”

.*.

When they pull up at Derek’s loft, Stiles is confused and slightly worried. Was this a ‘thanks but no thanks to being mates’ thing? Did he just want a ride to his loft so he wouldn’t have to awkwardly get one after dumping her? Shit, they aren’t even dating yet and- “Stiles, I can feel you over thinking this. Calm down and come with me.” Stiles lets out a deep breath.

“Ok.”

Derek leads her up several flights of stairs, but instead of stopping on the floor that Stiles knows his loft is on, he keeps leading them up to the top floor. Derek opens a door to reveal- “Oh.” Stiles says, looking around the rooftop. Derek grins at her.

“I thought we could have this talk on a roof that’s actually meant to be stood on. You know, less of a chance of me falling off this one.”

Derek and Stiles sit down in two lawn chairs facing each other. “So, mates.” He has a smile on his face and is looking at her softly.

“Mates,” she nods.

Derek tilts his head at her, squinting his eyes slightly. “You said you knew, but since when?” Stiles looks down and picks at the peeling paint on the lawn chair with her nails.

“Uh… since I started having the dreams again?” She says in a high voice. Derek makes a face at her words.

“Again?” Stiles rubs the back of her neck awkwardly, still not meeting Derek’s eyes. “Uh, yeah, so this isn’t the first time I dreamed about you…The first time it happened I was 9.” She pauses finally looking up at Derek “You were 15.”

Derek’s eyes widen. “The fire.”

“I had just started learning about my magic and my mom she was- she was so sick… when I started having the dreams I didn’t tell her or Deaton. I-I was afraid to. I kept having this dream about a wolf covered in ash in front of the house on the preserve, your house. I had the same dream every night for- I don’t know how long. Then one night the wolf turned into you, well 15 year old you, and you looked at me. The next day I snuck out and rode my bike to the preserve. I didn’t even know why I was doing it, but I did it, and I sat out there all day.” Stiles runs her hand through her hair and blows out a shaky breath.

“I saw them. They were circling your house with mountain ash and carrying gasoline cans and then I knew. I knew what they were doing. The dreams suddenly made sense and-“ Derek touches her hand.

“You were the reason we got out, weren’t you? You broke the circle?” Stiles nods.

“I never told anyone about it. Your family moved away and I practically moved into the hospital to be with my mom. It got pushed to the back of mind. I hadn’t thought about it for years until a few months ago when the dreams started up again. I went to Deaton about it; he’s the one who told me what it meant.” Stiles gestures between them. “All of it.” Derek raises his hand silencing Stiles.

“So Deaton has known this whole time? He knew I was your mate and yet he tried to stab me?”

“He what? You know what, I don’t want to know. I swear that cryptic asshole kills me.” _Of course_ Deaton would try to stab Derek. Because that’s a normal thing people do; run around stabbing other people’s mates. Stiles vows to have a very serious talk with Deaton about appropriate actions towards her mate when she notices Derek’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Do you not want me as your mate?” He looks so hurt by the notion and Stiles is flailing trying to stop his train of thought. “No! No! Not that at all! Don’t think that! I just didn’t want to throw it at you. It’s a lot to take in and I didn’t want you to feel trapped. Also there were more pressing matters, like the fact that someone was trying to _kill you_.”

“Wait, I overheard you and Ethan when you were in the woods talking about mates. You were talking about me and you?” Stiles face scrunches up confused.

“Is that why you thought Ethan and I were dating? Whoa, you totally became an asshole because you thought me an Ethan were _more_ than dating. You thought we were _mates_?!” Derek cringes a little.

“What did you expect me to think? I thought I heard you and Ethan talking about being mates, but my wolf thought you were ours anyway and it made me want to strangle him and his stupid fac- Ethan knew too?” Stiles lets out her own cringe at that.

“Uh yeeaaah… He could kind of tell by the way you were reacting to him being around me? No beta openly treats an Alpha like that without good reason. So Ethan dragged me out to the woods to gossip to where _we thought_ was away from prying ears.” Stiles pins Derek with a look and he feels sheepish for all of a second before realization settles in.

“So does that mean Aiden knew too?” Stiles scratches the back of her neck and turns her head to the side and says, under a cough, “everyoneknew.”

Derek’s eyebrows look like they’re about to fly off his face. Stiles wants to reach over and pull them down, but she feels like it wouldn’t be appreciated at the moment. “Everyone knew? How? I didn’t know!”

“Well, your mom knew because of the dreams-“Derek cuts her off. “Whoa, wait. My mom knew- knows?”

“Turns out your mom knows a lot about bonds between witches and wolves and put it together herself. She kind of regularly calls me now and I think we’re friends?”

“I’m sorry what? You’re friends with my mom and she knew but didn’t tell me?” Stiles hands fly up in defense of his mother.

“She was respecting my wishes! She’s been dying to talk to you about it. When we text she’s always asking about telling you.”

Derek sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “My mother and you text?”

“Sometimes. Well, a little. Not to an excess. Just every day… While we’re getting everything out there, your mom kind of invited us up to New York for Christmas? And Laura has my number and might be threatening that her and Cora are going to visit to “welcome” me to the family.” Derek blinks before dropping his head into his hands.

“So basically my entire family knows and has been texting you?” Derek looks to up before sighing. “All right the others? Who else knew?”

“Not _all_ of your family has been texting me, but uh, Deaton, Ethan, Aiden, your family and then Lydia. She has known practically since the beginning, nothing gets past her. The rest of the pack figured it out the day we made up in the woods. You tracked me for miles using the sound of my heartbeat and that kind of gave the whole thing away to them.”

“Of course,” Derek whispers to himself. “How did I not notice that?”

“Well, to be fair we had a lot going on at the time.”

A look of realization crosses Derek’s face. “I knew they were scenting me but _that’s_ why they started hanging all over me.” Stiles laughs.

“They got a little excited.” Derek smiles at Stiles.

“So everyone knew before me?”

“Well, not everyone. My dad _still_ doesn’t know on account of not knowing about wer-“ Stiles is cut off by Derek’s lips on hers and she doesn’t let out a whimper, nope not at all. Derek pulls back looking ridiculous, smiling from ear to ear

“Shut up, Stiles.”

Stiles lets out an indignant sound and goes to protest, but Derek just kisses her again and yeah, this is good too.

Later, when they’re in the loft Derek casually says he’s thinking about selling it because you know, it’s not like Isaac’s lunches are going to make themselves. Stiles tackles him to the floor kissing him senseless until he concedes that _maybe_ he has other motives too, like being with his mate.

.*.

 

1 YEAR LATER

Derek paces the length of the hallway again, nervously tugging at his tie. “Derek, calm down. Everything will go off without a hitch.” Derek runs a hand through his hair and huffs out a laugh.

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Jackson purses his lips in a way that’s entirely too reminiscent of Lydia.

“Clever. It’s not like the bride to be is going to suddenly change her mind now, though.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about, it’s her father.” Jackson grimaces.

“I concede your point, but Stiles made him have a pat down before he came into the church and we only had to take one gun from him. I also caught snippets of her telling him in no certain words that hell would rain down on him if he ruined today.” Derek forces himself to relax.

“You’re right. I just didn’t realize today would be so stressful.” Jackson laughs and claps him on the back. “Well, that’s what you get for agreeing to be best man.” Derek squints at him.

“You’re just jealous he didn’t pick you.”

Right as Derek finishes speaking, a door down the hallway is thrown open. A disheveled and distressed looking Scott stumbles out.

“Derek! I can’t get my tie done right. Who would want to marry someone who can’t even tie a tie properly! Oh my gosh Derek, you have to help me so Allison doesn’t run off with some kind of eagle scout!” Jackson looks at Scott, then back to Derek, before throwing his head back and laughs.

“I’m definitely not jealous.” Jackson strolls off down the hallway chuckling and Derek sighs before turning back to Scott who looks like he’s going to cry.

“Eagle scout?” he asks. Scott nods rapidly. “They can, like, tie a bunch of different kinds of knots and are like leveled up boy scouts. I wasn’t even allowed to be a boy scout, Derek! Stiles and I got kicked out!” Derek shoves Scott back into the room and closes the door behind them.

“Do I want to know how Stiles even managed to get into boy scouts? Or better yet how you two got kicked out?” Derek reaches up and starts redoing Scott’s tie for him, pulling the mangled mess undone.

“Probably not, our troop leader still flinches when he sees us in town.” Derek gives one last tug before spinning Scott around to face the mirror.

“Better?” he asks and Scott beams at Derek through the mirror. Derek tries to tidy up Scott’s appearance and make it seem like Scott hadn’t just almost torn his hair out over a tie.

“Scott, Allison is in love with you; no eagle scout could make her change her mind. Now come on, we have to get out there before Lydia comes to get us herself.” Scott spins around and throws himself at Derek bringing him into a tight hug.

“Thanks Derek”

.*.

“Derek. Derek. Derek. Derek. Der-bear. Honey. Hon.” Stiles chants from behind him in a constant stream. Derek holds in an amused snort as he turns around.

“Yes, dearest?” He says in an overly sweet voice. Stiles laughs loudly, grinning at him before pulling her face into a pout and holding her arms out to him.

“My feet hurt. Carry me please?” Derek raises a pointed brow at her.

“Your feet hurt? Really?”

Stiles tilts her head back and whines. “Yes they hurt.”

“If only this could have been prevented somehow. If only you had a smart, handsome mate that had warned you about wearing those heels when you knew you would be on your feet all day.” Derek looks at Stiles pouting face and shrugs before saying: “Sounds like a personal problem.”

Stiles sputters and rushes to get her heels off so she can run to catch up with him. Derek can hear her bare feet hitting the pavement and right as she reaches him he spins and pulls her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style. Stiles lets out a startled yelp and Derek chuckles.

The parking lot is almost entirely empty with Stiles and Derek being the last guests to leave the reception. Derek can see the Camaro across the lot and walks faster, eager to get home and go to sleep.

They’re almost halfway home when Stiles throws her arm out across his chest and demands they pull over. Derek complies and looks at her in concern as she unbuckles her seat and tries to throw the door open.

Derek grabs her hand. “Stiles what’s wrong?” her breathing is ragged now and she looks up at him with tear filled eyes. Derek wastes no time dragging her across the console into his lap and wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Stiles lets out a broken sound as Derek rubs his hand up and down her back making soothing noises. “You have to tell me what’s wrong, baby. I can’t help if I don’t know what it is.”

Stiles swipes at her eyes. “It’s stupid. I just- I don’t want to go home.” Derek wipes away a stray tear on her face with his thumb. “Why is that?”

“They’re all gone, Derek. All my pups are gone.” Stiles shoulders are shaking as she cries and Derek pulls her head to his chest. He should have realized she would get upset about this.

“They haven’t gone anywhere, Stiles, you know that.” He squeezes her hands and she presses her face into his chest.

“It’s just- the house it’s empty. It’s official: all my pups have left the den and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I can go back there and deal with them all being gone.”

“Just because they don’t live with us anymore doesn’t mean they’re gone. Lydia and Jackson live only three minutes away.” Two months after Derek moved in, Jackson revealed to Lydia that he had bought a house and that he and the pack had been fixing it up so he and she could live in it. Lydia had gone into a planning frenzy and they had moved into the house within a month. It wasn’t a big deal. Jackson is still at the house every day and he and Lydia still have most dinners with the pack.

“I guess,” Stiles sniffles.

“And Isaac only moved out to be closer to Cora while she finishes her degree. I doubt they’ll stay in that tiny apartment after she graduates.” Cora and Laura had followed through on their threat to visit; only Cora didn’t actually seem to care about talking to anyone except Isaac the entire trip. Cora’s still bragging that she realized Isaac was her mate before Derek realized Stiles was his. Cora ended up moving to Beacon Hills and joining the pack so her and Isaac could be closer. Moving into a crappy apartment hadn’t seemed like much to ask for to Isaac, considering Cora had moved across country for him.

Stiles has stopped crying but her face is still hidden in his chest. “And Scott and Allison?” she whispers. Derek kisses the top of Stiles’ head. “They are literally our next door neighbors, Stiles. They live just down the street. No one’s gone anywhere. Everyone will still be over all the time for dinners and movie nights and full moons. Just because they don’t live with us anymore doesn’t mean they won’t be over or that they’ve left us forever. You think you can handle us going home now?”

Stiles lifts her face and nods. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go home.” She rubs away the few remaining tears and lets out a weak laugh. “Sorry I’ve been so emotional lately. It’s just been all this craziness with the wedding. I’m fine now, really.” When she makes no room to move Derek lets out a sigh.

“Stiles, you need to get back in the passenger seat so I can drive.” Stiles rolls her eyes.

“You’re a werewolf; your reflexes are perfect. There’s no danger to me sitting here.” She punctuates her point by snuggling into Derek, planting a kiss on his jaw.

Derek closes his eyes and fights against the rising warmth in his chest, trying to stand firm in this. “Stiles, your father is the sheriff and I don’t want to have to explain to him that you decided that my ‘werewolf reflexes’ made it okay to drive with you in my lap despite it being dangerous and against the law, especially since he _still_ doesn’t know about werewolves.”

Stiles reluctantly climbs back into her seat. “You’re such a narc.” Derek snorts as he pulls back onto the road.

“I’ve never heard you complaining about my deputies’ uniform. In fact I think your exact words when I told you I was taking the job were “Holy yes. I’m going to b-“ Stiles reaches over and slaps her hand over his mouth. Derek grins into her hand, giving it a peck before removing it from his face.

When they get to the house, Derek doesn’t give Stiles time to think about the fact that it’s empty. He tosses her over his shoulder and makes his way through the house. When she starts protesting Derek turns his head and gives her a bite to the thigh, laughing at the squawk she lets out. He deposits Stiles down onto the bed and strips out of his suit. Stiles makes no move to change out of her dress, just starfishes out across the bed. Derek grabs one of his shirts and sits down next to Stiles on the bed.

“You can’t sleep in that dress.”

“You can’t tell me what to do,” Stiles mumbles back through the pillow.

“You know what I mean. It won’t be comfortable.”

“I don’t have the energy to change. I’m claiming emotional exhaustion. Who needs to be comfortable? Not me.”

“Lean up so I can get you out of it.” Stiles complies and Derek switches the dress out for hit t-shirt.

Derek’s just on the cusp of sleep when Stiles whispers “Hey Derek?”

“Hmm?”

“You know now that everyone else has moved out we have a lot of empty rooms. How would you feel about someone new living here with us?” Derek can’t see her face, but Stiles has started drawing patterns on his hand that’s around her waist, securing her against him.

“Can we talk about this later? ‘thought you were tired.”

“I am, but can we just talk about this first?”

Derek feels himself wake up more. “Yeah, yeah we can.”

“So how would you feel about someone else living here with us?”

“Like a new beta?”

“I guess like a new beta.”

“You can’t give the bite so it would have to be an omega. I don’t know how I’d feel about letting a random omega into our pack and home-“

“What if it wasn’t- what if it wasn’t an omega?”

Derek sits up. “Stiles, you aren’t making sense.”

“Well it might not even be a werewolf. Fifty-fifty you know-“ Derek’s turned the lights back on and is now holding Stiles by the shoulders staring at her eyes wide.

“Stiles, are you talking about what I think you’re talking about?”

“I don’t know, am I? I mean, who really knows what anyone is thin-“ Derek puts his hand over Stiles mouth.

“Stiles,” Derek says slowly. “You haven’t been emotional just because of the wedding have you?” Stiles shakes her head _no_ and Derek removes his hand staring at her in shock.

“Pregnancy hormo-“ Derek cuts her off with a kiss that doesn’t go much of anywhere because he’s grinning into it. Derek places his hands on her stomach and laughs. “How long? How long have you known?”

“Not long. I was waiting until after the wedding. I didn’t want to steal Scott and Allison’s thunder. Now we have to wait to tell everyone until they get back from their honeymoon.” Derek just keeps staring at her stomach with a stupid grin on his face.

“You’re not going to be able to keep it a secret are you?” Derek shakes his head. Stiles laughs and Derek peppers her face with kisses.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end has come. This was my first fic ever and I really hope you enjoyed it. Please do leave comments telling me what you thought because I genuinely want to know. This fic probably would not have seen the light of day without the help and encouragement I received from Kapisj who beta'd this fic. 
> 
> Find me here on tumblr: http://breathingisdullanyway.tumblr.com/


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